Greek Escapade
by StygianOmadaFan
Summary: Taking a vacation is the last thing on Oliver's mind, but Felicity does everything until she has convinced him. However, their vacations doesn't turn out as relaxing and romantic as they thought it would be. Danger follows them to their idyllic hideout in Crete. The beautiful Mediterranean island becomes the scenario for encounters with old friends and new enemies.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Hey guys!

This is my first attempt to write an Arrow fic, so I'm hoping you have fun reading it, at very least. I can't promise it won't be a bit angsty at some point, though. But who am I kidding? We all love it that way.

I'd like you to consider 2 things. The first is that the events taking place here are in the near future. More specifically in December 2015. There's no really spoilers, because my story is about what might -but most likely won't- happen around mid-season 4 finale. By that time, I'm guessing Laurel, as Black Canary, is well integrated to the team (despite Oliver's and others initial reticence); Thea already knows what daddy dearest did to her; Palmer is still in Starling and with full-operating exo-suit; and last, and definitely, the most important thing: the relationship between Oliver and Felicity is better than now (season 3 episode 11), but not nearly as good as we want to.

The other thing you should keep in mind is that English isn't my mother tongue. I've been writing in English several years now (and getting better and better at it), but I know I make mistakes sometimes. So, if you detect misspellings or something is awkwardly phrased, please let me know.

Also, I want to give a huge thanks to my friend Arizona for helping me to edit this chapter. You're the best!

Without further ado, here I present you "Greek Escapade".

Enjoy!

**CHAPTER 1**

Coming down the stairs, his heart began to beat excitedly; wild inside his chest, mimicking the staccato made by slender fingers typing on a keyboard at speed of light. A sound he had gotten used to hearing in the last 3 years of his life. Now his whole body stirred with excitement only listening to it. It reminded him of her, and he could envision her sitting in front of the computer even before he put his eyes on her. For Oliver was almost impossible to believe how much a sassy blond IT girl had changed his life, only for being in it.

Since the first time he met Felicity, he knew there was something special about her. Soon a deep friendship was formed, that grew thanks to all the nights they spent together fighting crime, which also included little everyday gestures they had for one another. The trust, the honesty, the support, and the respect for each other cemented the strong foundations for what came next.

For a while, he didn't wanted to acknowledge the attraction between them. But before he knew it, he was in love with her more than he never been with anyone before. Back then, he wished he'd have had given in to those feelings, but the fear of Felicity getting hurt because of what he did as the Arrow had scared the shit out of him. He pushed Felicity away; it killed him to do it, but for Oliver, Felicity's safety was above anything else, even his own happiness.

That was until he was too close to losing the opportunity to love her as she deserves. If anything good came out of his dangerous dance with death against Ra's Al Ghul was that he learned that life is precious. He wasn't willing to let his fears to rule his decisions concerning Felicity anymore. Of course, his plans to win her back didn't played out without setbacks or complications. He was still paying the price of his foolish decision of keeping her away.

He had hurt her deeply, and he couldn't really fault her for being cautious this time around. They were taking things slow... as in sloooooooooow. At snail's pace. It was driving him crazy. However, he understood her reticence.

When he got at the bottom of the stairs, he saw Felicity sitting alone in her usual spot with the 3 screens on in front of her. She was focused on the screen to the far right. So fixated on it that, she didn't hear him getting closer.

"Hey, what's up? Where's everybody?" he said, making her jump in surprise. She swung about on the chair to face him. She had her right hand over her heart, as if she wanted to keep it inside her chest.

"Geez, Oliver! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Oliver soothed her, clasping gently her shoulder.

"I think I'm in time to change my gift for you, a bell for Christmas could be a better present. A big, big bell to wear around your neck, so you can't sneak up like that. I'm sure it wouldn't do any good when catching bad guys. But you could start a trend, though. Do you think people would be okay announcing themselves like cows?"

He chuckled.

After all these years of knowing her, it was still a mystery for him the extraordinary talent she had to amuse him. Nobody made him smile like she did. Oliver loved her peculiar way to say things. The way she rambled when she was nervous or excited.

But also that she spoke her mind in more serious topics. She was the voice of his reason. Taking her advice has made him a better man. A man that didn't lose himself to the darkness he brought from the years he was away. Instead he was on a righteous path helping those who needed it... saving the city from the hell that wanted to swallow it whole.

"Didn't we said we weren't giving each other presents?" Oliver reminded her. "You told me you didn't want anything."

"I did, but then I realized _you_ really need this one."

"Need what?" she averted her gaze. "Why I get the feeling I won't like the answer?" Exhaling long and hard, he growled softly, "Felicity..." his effort to leave impatience out of his tone went to the trash.

"You're going on vacation," was her soft declaration.

"What? No, I'm not. Don't even think about it."

She drew herself up to her full height. Determination bottled up in her 5 foot 5 shape howled, loud and clear, that she was ready to convince him otherwise. Oliver knew that the chances of losing the battle ran high, and against his best judgment, he'd end doing whatever she wanted him to do. He always did. But that didn't mean he wouldn't try to talk her out of that insane idea.

"Felicity," she couldn't really think he'd go out of town for the holidays, could she? "I can't go on vacations. You know I don't know how. And more to the point, I don't want to."

Bad guys didn't take vacations, so neither could he. And Starling was far from to be a crime-free zone.

"Why not? It's holiday, Oliver. Most people take vacation during this time, you know."

He cocked the head slightly to the left, with a grin on the lips. "I'm not most people."

"No, you're not. Most people don't have near-death experiences around holidays, year after year after year."

The tremble in her voice struck his heart. He only could imagine the hell she had been through while he was M.I.A last year. "Felicity, that won't happen."

"Really?! You're telling me that you can't see the pattern here. Diggle told that your first Christmas back, Malcolm Merlyn put two arrows in your back and almost killed you. A year later, I was there when, if it wasn't for Barry-" his mouth curled up, when a pang of irritation went through him. He and Barry were in friendly terms, but he didn't like hearing the kid's name in Felicity's lips. Under any circumstances. "If it wasn't for Barry," she repeated emphatically, "you would've stroked out and died."

Felicity took a deep breath in. Breathing out, she placed her hand on Oliver's torso, right over where the scar Ra's Al Ghul had gave him was under his shirt. "Please, don't make me remind you last year."

Cupping her face with his hand, Oliver leaned over and gently he brushed his lips on her forehead. "Stop worrying. Nothing of that will happen this year, I promise."

Her stare spoke volumes. "You can't promise that. In this city, trouble finds you even if you don't want to."

"Trouble can find me anywhere, not only in Starling city."

"Maybe, but here is almost certain it will. So, you're going on vacation!"

"You can't make me."

"Try me!"

Okay, his time had ran out. He knew he was a step from losing the battle... and the war. Even when she was being a little obtuse about the matter. "Can't go, Felicity. I got a job to do. The city needs-"

"The city will be fine. It wouldn't be the first time Starling is without its favorite hero, and it's still standing strong, right? Besides, I talked to the guys and they're on board. They can take care of it while you're gone."

Speechless, Oliver glared at her. As it turned out to be, it wasn't just her idea, but she brought other people to conspire against him. Who else was in it? John for sure, Laurel too. Roy... more than maybe. It wouldn't surprise him that even Thea was into it, too. They meant well, he knew that. They cared about him and probably went along with Felicity's idea just to humor her. She could be a bit scary when she was determined to accomplish something and somebody dared to get in her way.

There was something that worried him, though. Did Ray Palmer knew about what Felicity pretended to do? If anyone gained something with Oliver's absence, it was Palmer. Why? Because he was going to have the opportunity to play with his toys at his heart content without anyone policing him. Thinking about it, it wasn't that bad. Oliver wasn't happy with the new vigilante in town, but he couldn't deny the help Palmer, with his exo-suit, had been on a few occasions.

What did really bothered him was that without him in the city, Ray Palmer would have the opportunity to come after Felicity. He hadn't stop his flirty ways with her. Felicity had assured Oliver there was nothing between them. He trusted her completely, but didn't trust _him_. What made it all worse was that, Oliver knew that it wasn't his call to determine what happened between Felicity and any of her potential love interest. He respected Felicity deeply, and whatever she decided for her life he'd accept it... even if it destroyed him. If she wanted to be with Palmer, or any other, he'd step back.

He simply didn't want to give the chance of that happening. Not anymore. Not without giving a gory fight. He had wasted too much time already. He would give anything to be with her.

The light bulb went on in Oliver's head. He might have a way to make Felicity and himself happy at the same time. "I'll go, if you go with me. What do you say?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** First, I want to thank each and everyone of you for having reading my fic, left your reviews, favorites, and/or followed it. You're amazing! You definitely have made my days.

Second, I'm want to apologize for taking so long to publish this chapter... Life and stuff. I'm taking the risk to publish it without my beta's editing, because I know you've waited long enough... so, if you read something that's unpleasant to your eyes (grammatical and syntactic wise) please remember that English is my second language.

Oops! I think Felicity's babbling is contagious *LOL* I'll shut up now, and let you read. ENJOY!

* * *

**Previously on Greek Escapade…**

_… "Can't go, Felicity. I got a job to do. The city needs-"_

_"The city will be fine. It wouldn't be the first time Starling is without its favorite hero, and it's still standing strong, right? Besides, I talked to the guys and they're on board. They can take care of it while you're gone." …_

_… "I'll go, if you go with me. What do you say?"_

* * *

Oliver's hasty words petrified Felicity. "What?!"

"You heard me. I _won't_ leave town alone," his inflexion left no room for further discussion, "but I might be more accommodating about traveling, if it means I'll have the pleasure of your company. You need vacations too." He invaded her personal space and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She put her hands over his chest. At first impression, he thought she was going to push him away. Instead, Felicity played with the buttons of his shirt, offering no real resistance for him to pull her closer. "I'd love to go with you, Oliver, but—"

"But, what?"

"My job—"

"If Starling City can survive a few days without me, I'm sure Palmer… Technologies," he added quickly, hoping she'd believe he was really talking about the company, and not about its CEO, "can do the same without you."

"And Team Arrow—"

An inevitable groan left his throat. He hated the day that name came to life. "They can take care of it," he shot back her own words. With that he gained a peeved glare from her. "Think about it… us, alone. We could talk about some things that we've been postponing," there were many things that needed to be resolved before they went forward in their relationship.

Felicity's eyebrows went north. "Are you seriously telling me that you want to talk about your emotions? That has to be the first… 'cause let's be honest, your history doing that isn't exactly the best. And FYI, you can talk about how you feel anywhere. You don't need to drag me along on your personal vacations to do that."

"Haven't you noticed that it's a bit crowded around here? Every time we start talking somebody walks in, or our phones start ringing."

"That's not true—"

People coming down the stairs made them both look in that direction. It was Roy, with John right behind him. At the same time, her phone buzzed. While Felicity reached for it, Oliver leaned and whispered in her ear, "I rest my case."

Oliver let her go and made his best effort to ignore her phone conversation, not an easy thing to do once he realized that was Ray calling. Instead of trying to figure what they were talking about, he shortened the distance between him and the newcomers. "How did it go at A.R.G.U.S.?" Oliver asked Diggle. "What did you find out about Hopkins?"

"Quite a character, Andre Hopkins," John replied, talking about the current criminal they were after. "Well known mercenary. He's suspect in uncounted cases of murder, kidnapping, and terrorism, in several countries, but never been charged. He's in Interpol's and A.R.G.U.S' most wanted list. Here's his file."

He handed a USB drive to Oliver, but before he grabbed it, Felicity snatched away. Oliver didn't noticed the moment she ended the call with Ray. "I'll take that," she said.

Her tone seemed a bit tense. "Everything okay with Palmer?" Oliver cringed inwardly at the supposedly indifferent tone of his voice. Even to his ears, it sounded totally fake.

"Yeah, fine," was the only answer he got. Oliver's interest peaked; there was something going on between Felicity and Ray, but apparently, she wasn't sharing. Pretty much ignoring him, Felicity immediately went to work her magic on the computers. Fine, he wouldn't push her at the moment. Later would be. "Can you track him?" he asked out of habit, getting back to the task at hand. It was a stupid question, honestly. Oliver knew Felicity could find anything and everyone… anywhere in the globe. The proof was that, less than 2 minutes later, she had Hopkins' location.

"He's at a warehouse at the docks."

"Roy, suit up."

"On it." Half way to grab his red suit, Roy paused and turned. "And Laurel?"

"She's out in a date with Ted," Felicity pointed out. "Do I call her?"

"No. We can handle this," Oliver stated.

And just like that, they fell into the well-oiled machine routine fighting crime on the streets of Starling. It wasn't until much later, when the streets were free from a dangerous criminal, and the Arrow called it a night, that Oliver pressed Felicity for an answer. John had already gone home, and Roy was on his way out.

"Night, guys," he said, leaving them alone in the foundry.

"Good night, Roy" she replied, while Oliver just nodded. He was putting his suit back on the dummy while Felicity leaned against the panel of the glass case. "So?" he said looking at her.

"So… what?"

"You know what. Are we going on vacations or staying in the city?" in the hours that had passed, since they first talked, the idea of getting away from everything and spend good quality time with her had grew on him. Now, Oliver was excited for it.

"Oliver… I don't know. I—"

He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. He almost gave up on urging her into deciding that night but she looked exhausted and he could wait until the next day. It had been a long day and an even longer night. When she moaned softly and leaned into the contact, wordlessly asking for more. However, he found the argument to continue to convince her.

He walked behind her and massaged both of her shoulders. "When was the last time you take time off," he was genuinely curious. Giving it a thought, he couldn't remember if she ever had since they met.

She took her time to answer. She seemed to be enjoying Oliver's ministrations. With her head falling forward, she meowed in pleasure or discomfort while his hands worked on her knotted muscles.

"When I went with Ray to Gotham city couple of months ago for that expo," she finally answered.

Oliver fought against his inner jealousy monster, which was quite volatile lately, and put it back into submission. He didn't want to remember those 10 days she spent away and the angst of not knowing what they were doing. He urged Felicity to face him, instead. He lifted her chin with a finger until their gazes met. "I'm not talking about that," he explained. "I mean real vacations. Not for work, just for fun."

"It's been a while," she admitted.

"So you need this much as I do. Come with me, please."

# # # # # # # # # #

Felicity wasn't sure how Oliver had convinced her to do this. She couldn't believe she was at the airport, barely minutes away from getting on a plane. Much less that Oliver had turned things around, and now he was the one paying for the trip.

The discussion about it had taken place a week before, the very next morning when both decided to go on vacation.

"You can't afford it. You're in bankruptcy," she protested.

"I'm not a billionaire anymore, true, but I made some good investment with the money I managed to keep. I got enough to buy the tickets and pay our stay."

"You don't understand the concept of someone giving you a gift, right?"

"Of course I do. And you're giving me the best of all."

"Which is…?"

"You," he said simply, "spending these days with me. I can't ask for anything better."

Felicity melted inside. How could she not to? For as much she wanted to deny and fight against it, Oliver knew how to romance her just with words. She had noticed in the latest months that he made a great effort in always saying the right words to her. However, his expression betrayed him sometimes. His lying skills hadn't improved that much.

She always knew when Oliver was trying to hijack her attention away from Ray which was totally stupid. Ray was a friend… a good-looking, funny, billionaire, brave, and charming one, but just a good friend.

What Oliver didn't seem to understand was that she had different kinds of love for the people in her life. She loved her friends, deeply. They became a sort of family to her, and she was willing to do anything for them. But the only person she was in love with was Oliver Queen. True that her love for him had been tested in the last year… and perhaps, it had faulted at some point, but thanks to the obstacles she found down the road, her feelings for him got stronger.

They had issues they needed to work on, individually and together. In her case, she needed to overcome her long-dated abandonment issues. At a conscious level, she knew Oliver had pushed her away to protect her —and him, even if Oliver wouldn't admit it— from the pain that could come from what he did every night.

He never wanted to abandon her when he went to fight Ra's Al Ghul, or ignored her when he teamed up with Merlyn to defeat the League's leader, but it hurt all the same. Specially the latter. It seemed that his love for her didn't transcended his words. Had it been too much to ask him to prove his love by choosing her, at least once, over everything else? It took very long time for her to walk beyond that hurt and allow herself to think again about get romantically involved with him.

His life was complicated, and hers wasn't too much behind. She knew a relationship between them wasn't going to be easy. But she was willing to try.

Conflicted emotions were always with her. She couldn't be more proud of how he takes care of the city, but the fear of losing him was constantly present. She stops breathing every time he's out on the street… and yet, she'd never ask him to stop being the hero Starling city needs him to be. Somehow, knowing that Roy, Dig, and Laurel get out there with him, and with her supervising from the foundry, it made her feel a bit better. They take care of each other's backs.

"Felicity…? Felicity!"

"What?!" Oliver was standing in front of her, with his brows drawn together. She realized she had snapped at him. _Great_!, she thought. She could feel her face getting warmer. Her cheeks probably were redder than a tomato. "Sorry."

"You okay?" he asked, touching her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Where did you go?"

Shaking her head, she muttered, "nowhere. I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Uh... yeah, just babbling in my head."

Oliver smirked, understanding. It was no secret how often she fell under such spells. Didn't matter if they were vocal or mental.

"They're calling us to board, c'mon," he reached out and helped her to stand. She took his rough, warm hand, much bigger and stronger than hers. The contact sent a jolt of excitement through Felicity. She really was doing it. For the longest time, she thought they would never be together. And now they were going on vacation. "Ready?"

_No… Maybe…_ "Yes."

Minutes later, both were sitting in their respective places, on their way to Greece. That's all she knew. Oliver told he got the perfect place to spend 2 weeks of vacations, but didn't specify any more than that. _I want to surprise you_, he had said.

"Where are we going?" she insisted one more time.

Oliver smiled, and said, "you'll see. You're going to love it."

"Fine, don't tell me now. But do you realize you're confined here with me for the next so many hours, right?" 14 long hours, to be exact. "Before the plane lands, I'll know where you're taking me," she promised.

"I say you won't," Oliver widened his smile and shrugged, accepting the challenge.

* * *

Of that battle of wills, who do you think will win... Oliver or Felicity?


	3. Chapter 3

**Finally I'm updating! Sorry for the hiatus, wasn't my intention, but that's life. Hope you enjoy this chapter, I sure did writing it ;)**

**Thank you for the love you've been giving me. All your favorites and follows mean the world to me. You guys rocks!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 3**

To Felicity's horror, sixteen hours later she still didn't know where they were heading. Not matter how much she had asked, threatened, or begged, Oliver kept his mouth shut. When he was this stubborn, not even Felicity was capable of changing his mind. It was obvious to her that he was enjoying having her in the dark.

"Are you sure we aren't on the alternative road to Lian Yu? That's where we're going, aren't we? 'Cause feels like it," after the never-ending flight from Starling City to Athens, they took another 45-minutes domestic flight to the province of Chania, on Crete. If that wasn't enough, they've been driving over an hour, to only God knows where. "When I agreed to come with you, I thought we'd go to France, to Mexico, or some place where normal people go... never occurred to me that you wanted to stay on an island, giving the not-so-pleasant experience in your past. But then again, you've been on a South-American island too. Why not stay on a Greek one, right? I fail to remember that you got a thing for Fantasy Island."

Felicity knew she was in surly mood, and she couldn't hold her tongue when she was in such mind-set. Fatigue did that to her. She got some sleep on the flights, but it wasn't the same. She needed a really good night rest on a comfy and warm bed. Otherwise, she would continue pouring sassy remarks through her mouth.

She turned her head to the left and saw Oliver's profile. The corners of his lips were up. Clearly he was amused, which aggravated her. "Did I said something funny?"

Immediately, Oliver put his best poker face. "No, nothing."

"Liar." She exhaled exhausted, and asked for the umpteenth time that day. "How much longer?"

"We're almost there," Oliver gave her his standard answer.

"You've been saying that for the last 2 hours. Forgive me, if I don't believe you."

He gave a quick glance, and focused on the road ahead again. "We should've stay the night on Athens," he murmured with regret, "but I thought you'd rather see our final destination right away."

Guilt was added to her exhaustion, and bad mood. She finally heard his weary voice. The journey had taken a toll on him, too. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I didn't mean to sound so ungrateful," she reached to his arm and squeezed gently.

"It's okay. It has been a _long_ trip," he said impassive, nodding his head.

"You're trying to do something nice for me, and I'm bitching at you-"

"Felicity... it's fine. Don't fret anymore. We're here."

"Here... where?"

Oliver halted the rental car in front of a gate made of solid white metal, which blocked the view to the inside of the property from prying eyes. It was at least 12 foot tall, the same as the outer walls around the house. Felicity could also see surveillance cameras by the gate. Obviously, the owner valued privacy very much. Oliver buzzed the intercom device at the side of the entrance and spoke words she didn't understood.

_He speaks Greek too_, she thought. Over time, it had been less frequent the occasions when she had been surprised by some new fact about him. Now Oliver was much more willing to give details about those 5 years he was away than he was when she met him. He still kept some secrets but, at least with her, he was willing to give details voluntarily... sometimes.

_Are you ever gonna trust me enough someday to tell me everyt-_

Her train of thought braked like it'd crash into an invisible wall. The gate slowly opened and Oliver drove inside the property, allowing her to witness the secluded heaven he had brought her to. The stone and glass house stood glorious on the mountainside, looking at the Mediterranean Sea. The view was completely breathtaking. The sun was setting, and despite of the storm clouds that were creeping on, the contrast between the blue water and reddish sky was simply spectacular. She barely registered when Oliver opened the door for her.

"Oh, wow!" she breathed once she got out of the car.

"You like?"

She turned to see him, unable to hide the huge smile on her face. "It's gor-geous! Gosh, Oliver, how did you know of this place?"

He walked closer to her. "A friend of mine lived here, and I stayed with him and his family a while. I've been in many places and never seen better ocean views on the planet than here in Livadia. I always wanted to come back, but never had the opportunity."

"So this is your friend's house?"

Oliver shook his head no. As he did it, the cheerful light in his eyes extinguished. Felicity sighed; she hated that he had so many sad stories in his life. Oliver didn't need to say it, she knew that whatever had happened to his friend it wasn't good. She put a hand over his arm, getting a sad smile from him.

**# # # # # # # # # #**

Oliver doubted Felicity knew exactly how comforting was to have her hand on him. She had asked him once if he didn't have any happy stories from the time he was away, and sadly he didn't. Not even one. But a single touch from her could erase most of the pain of those memories. It had the capacity to remind him that his bleak past wasn't all he had. He could see light at the end of that long tunnel.

And Felicity was that light.

Gently, he took her hand, lift it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles. "Let get inside. The surprises are not over yet."

"There's more?"

"Mm-hmm"

Still holding her hand, Oliver made his way forward the house entrance, with Felicity trailing him closely. The main door opened and a brunette middle-aged woman waited inside for them.

"Mrs. Cosse?" Oliver called politely.

"Please, call me Pasha. But come in, come in!" The woman greeted them enthusiastically. The times he had talked to her over the phone, she had seemed a very nice lady. She gave Felicity the widest of the grins. "This beautiful young lady must be Mrs. Queen."

"Oh, no... n-no, no, no, no," Felicity stuttered, in mild panic. "He's not my... I'm not his... We're not married," the more she talked, wilder became her hands gestures. "We're not sure... what we really are. More than friends, but not a couple yet. Oliver has a serious case here of getting hot and cold on me, all the time. It's not that I spent hours every day dreaming about the wedding, and me walking down the aisle with a beautiful dress and-"

Oliver wasn't sure if he felt amused or afraid about that particular rambling. Either way, he couldn't let her go on and on. If she continued, they wouldn't be alone any time soon. He cleared his throat. Felicity glanced up to him, her cheeks darkened even more. "I said that out loud, didn't I? I'm closing my mouth in 3, 2, 1."

_I won't laugh... can't smile._ But it was impossible. He couldn't stop the corner of his lip from curving up. "Pasha, this is my-" Oliver found himself in the same dilemma that Felicity had been before. He didn't how to label them. She was what... his girlfriend? Not really, not yet. His assistant? She hadn't been for more than a year. And even if she was, he would go deaf after a shrilling scolding from her for calling her that. Her partner? Yes, in more sense than one, but the definition could be misleading. "... Felicity. She's Felicity Smoak, and she's my friend."

_Ugh_! She wasn't that either. She was so much more than that. She was the woman he loved, his life... the air he breathed.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Smoak."

"Same here. But call me Felicity, please."

"Very well, Felicity, would you like me to give you a tour around the house?"

"I'd love to."

Oliver fell a little behind from the women. He didn't want to pay much attention to what the landlady was telling Felicity. He wasn't interested in knowing about the modern furniture carefully chosen for every room in the house, or the high quality of stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. He could care less for the 4 bedrooms with their bathrooms. Neither was he intrigued to admire the astonishing view they had from every side of the residency through the glass walls, or fascinated about the decks over the pool, which seemed to fuse with the sea. And the artificial waterfall did little to distract him from what he really wanted.

He only cared about was to finally be alone with Felicity.

What kept him from showing his best brooding self to Mrs. Cosse, and rudely throw her out, was Felicity's bright face. She was absolutely enthralled about everything the other woman was telling her. After an exhausting day, she finally was happy.

Perhaps sensing his eyes on her, Felicity turned around and smiled at him. "This place is like a dream. Thank you for bringing me here, Oliver." She walked over to him, and he opened his welcoming arms and held her tight. "My pleasure," he whispered in her ear.

"I'll let you settle down. I bet you want a long and nice night rest" the landlady said. "The housekeeping service will come in 2 days, and the pool guy the day after that. The pantry on the kitchen is stocked with everything you might need, but if you crave something else, just let me know."

"ευχαριστώ," Oliver thanked her in Greek, keeping Felicity still surrounded by his arms.

"You're welcome." Pasha Cosse said, and then she made her retreat, to Oliver's relief.

"Good night," Felicity said, stepping out of his embrace. When they were alone, Felicity glanced back at him. "Now what?"

"I really want to take a shower."

"I could use one of those, too... But not together."

Oliver made his best effort to hide a smirk. The thought had passed through his head, and obviously through hers too, but he knew that night wasn't when that particular fantasy of his would be fulfilled. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I'll go get our bags out of the car. Why don't you choose the bedroom you like the most to settle in. I'll be back in a little bit."

She bit her lip, hard. Something was bothering her. "What is it?"

"We didn't talk about this, Oliver. You better not expect me to share the bedroom-" she said, meeting his eyes.

"Hey," he cut her words off, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I don't expect anything, only having a good time. There 4 bedrooms in the house, plenty room for only 2 people. I don't want you feel obliged to do anything. Never was my intention," he had been living like a monk for a year and a half, a few days more wouldn't kill him. Although, being just the 2 of them along without a whole lot what to do was going to be a challenge.

"I didn't mean-"

"I know what you meant, Felicity. Relax," he waited until she took a deep breath before continue. "Choose a room, I'll take one of the rest."

"Oliver!" she called out to him when he turned around to get their luggages.

"Yes?"

"Is true what Pasha told me? That you tirelessly talked into her to rent you this place? She said she usually don't do it so late in the season."

He shrugged. "I know is raining season here, but I thought we wouldn't be bothered by it. In comparison to the cold and snowstorms ravaging Starling city this time of the year, we're warm here."

She grinned. "True."

"And I really wanted to share this place with someone important to me... with you," his words left her momentarily speechless, so he took his chance. "Let me get the bags, ok?"

**##############**

An hour later, the rain welcomed them. The storm clouds that had been creeping on earlier that afternoon, were now covering the firmament and pouring down. The night was cold enough to light up the fireplace. The logs burned steadily while Oliver and Felicity were sitting in the living room, watching TV and having a light dinner. Oliver had gray sweat pants and white t-shirt on him, while Felicity wore, according to him, the cutest cotton pijamas he'd ever seen.

If Felicity thought she was being less provocative wearing the thing, she had no idea. Oliver was having trouble focusing in the movie they were watching. It could have been a comedy or a thriller, he never knew. His thought strayed to his own fantasies of how he would slow and tortuously take that nightclothes off her.

His hands would go under the hem of her top, exploring her delicate skin, and his eyes would marvel over her exquisite body. He would kiss every inch of her with reverent passion. His hands would touch her in a way she could never forget. He would take her to the edge and fall with her down to the purest pleasure ever known. At the end of the night she wouldn't have any doubt of how much he loved her.

It was incongruous that him, Oliver Queen, well-known playboy, who had all the women he wanted for many years, now his heart belonged only to one. That his body burned to join to hers.

He no longer felt the same way for anyone else. Yes, he could appreciated the beauty in others, but the comparison between the rest of women and Felicity was simply unfair. Felicity had everything he wanted.

A soft snore took Oliver out of his daydreaming. Felicity had fallen asleep, leaning her head on his shoulder. He smiled. Only she could fall soundly asleep next to him while he was having torrid thoughts about her.

With all the care he could, Oliver picked her up in her arms and took her upstairs to her room. He put her on the bed, while uncover one side of the comforter. Then he rolled her over and tucked her in.

With her eyes closed, she murmured, "Thanks."

"Good night," he said before kissing her temple.

_I guess I should get to bed, too,_ he thought walking over the the door frame, he looked back to see her. Felicity was soundly asleep again. "Sweet dreams, my love."

* * *

**A/N: If you want to see photos of the Villa where Oliver and Felicity are staying in, you can send me a message **** ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all for the love you've been giving me. All those follows and comments encourage me to keep writing :)**

**Now I leave you to what have come to do. Happy reading!**

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**CHAPTER 4**

Felicity woke up in the morning, groaning and wishing that the sun wasn't up and shining. She hid her head under the covers hoping to fall asleep again, until she remembered where she was... and with who. The thought made her hop off bed, wondering if Oliver was up or not. She took her cell phone from the night stand to check out the clock... 10:37 am.

"Oh, frack!"

From all the days, why did she had to oversleep that very one?! Two weeks vacationing could seem a lot of time, but it really wasn't. She knew that when they returned to home, there wouldn't be another opportunity like that to talk without distractions. Once she made up her mind to come with Oliver, she promised herself not to waste a single second of her time alone with him. She was ready to deal with their issues and move forward; she needed to know if they'd be able to make things work in their relationship. But how they'd do that if she was sleeping?

Besides, the place was absolutely breathtaking. She wanted to see more of it. And getting a tan wouldn't hurt her. She wanted to see Oliver relaxed and enjoying himself, too. After all, the vacation was supposedly to be about him relaxing.

She went in and out of the bathroom in record time, dressed herself with the first decent thing she found on her bag, and then went to find Oliver.

Coming down the stairs, the smell of fresh coffee was the first thing that hit her. _Oh, sweet heaven_. She forgot about Oliver and everything else. She followed the distinct aroma to the kitchen, she couldn't help it. She wouldn't function right until she got her good fill of morning caffeine. By the espresso machine, there was a steamy mug waiting. Without hesitation, and giving no a thought if it was meant for her, she took it with both hands and sipped the elixir from the Gods. She moaned in ecstasy as her taste buds exploded in delight. It was exactly as she liked it. A non-fat latte and with a lot of sugar.

She spun around to enjoy the lovely sea view while she savored her cup of coffee. She found her favorite work distraction instead. Oliver was outside, hovering over the pool, doing pull ups from a bar hung off the edge of the upper deck. She couldn't say that the view of him fell short next to the background. Not_ at all_. Countless had been the times her attention was captivated by him working out; specially on _her_ favorite, the salmon ladder. This was close enough.

He was half naked, of course; a fact that didn't surprised her. Actually, she expected it. Oliver was shirtless around her half of the time. He was wearing only the same sweatpants from the night before, and he was barefooted. Felicity bit her bottom lip staring intently his abs, pectorals, biceps, and triceps flexing as he went up and down. Not even the numerous and awful scars covering his torso could diminish the magnificent body he had. She had spent many hours imagining how those muscles would feel under her hands while he was passionately making love to her.

It was starting to be ridiculous the great amount of time she daydreamed about it. Forget reading erotica; her imagination was quite capable of creating vivid and steamy fantasies of them having sex. Tender, rough, dirty, sweet, slow-paced, fast, kinky... you name it, and Felicity had already fantasied about it. To think about Oliver was the same than to have private erotic moments with him in her head.

It wouldn't be long before she spontaneously exploded. The level of arousal she constantly was in only could end in her burning down, if nothing happened between them any time soon. Taking the matter in her own hands wasn't helping anymore. Felicity wasn't sure how she was going to survive the next 2 weeks. She was regretting the request she had made him months ago to take things slow between them. She did it to protect herself for further heartache, but, as time passed, it became a slow and insufferable torture.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She needed Oliver to pull her against a wall and kiss her fiercely until the world around them vanished. She yearned to feel his rough hands exploring her body, seeking under her skirt, and pull down her underwear. Her body was screaming to be filled... to feel each one of his frenzied thrust inside her. All she wanted was to have feverish, mind-blowing sex with Oliver before going completely insane.

She snapped out of her horny thoughts, giving thanks to God that Oliver hadn't caught her on them. She knowing how filthy her mind could be was enough. She would die of embarrassment if he knew. Avoiding to look at him anymore, she turned around and drank the rest of her coffee quickly, too flustered to enjoy it.

When she was washing the mug, a soft thud behind her let Felicity know that Oliver had jumped off the deck. "Morning" he said, a few seconds later.

Smiling, she spun and said the word back, and added, "Sorry I stayed in bed so long."

"Felicity, you don't have to be sorry. This is our vacation. It's meant for us to rest and relax, isn't that right?"

"Yes."

"So, you can sleep all you want."

He was leaning on the door frame, his arms loosely folded over his chest, and had an ankle crossed over the other. His relaxed stance pleased her. She hadn't seen him like this in a long time, if ever. Oliver looked genuinely happy... as if the weight he always carried on his shoulders had been lifted. The lazy smile on his face made him look boyish, innocent even. Felicity knew that was the face of the infamous playboy who had broken the heart of so many women out there.

And it was hard not to fall for him. God knew she had tried. The more she fought to stay at safe distance from him, the harder she fell in love.

"Earth to Felicity!" she hummed and he chuckled. "I lost you for a moment. Where were you this time?"

"Er... Nowhere you want to know," she quickly deflected.

"Every time you say that, curiosity bites me, you know," he stepped away from the door frame and got closer to the kitchen island. "But I won't pry,"_ this time_ was left unsaid. They both knew that sooner or later Oliver would press for an explanation and Felicity would tell everything. Her practically non-existent vocal filter was absolutely no match for the skillful interrogator he could be. In the worst case, she'd end spiting it out anyway, with no persuasion needed.

She sighed. It was better not to think about that. She'd be mortified by it in due time.

"Are you hungry?" Oliver asked her.

"Not as much as I should be. Guess the jet-lag has my inner clock all messed up."

"Understandable," he bent over the counter, leaning on his forearms. Mischief brightened his blue eyes. "Want to take a walk to stir your appetite, and then have a brunch on the beach with me?"

Felicity was thrilled about the suggestion. She copied the wide smile Oliver was giving her. "A date on the beach?"

"If you want."

"I'd love to."

**# # # # # # # # #**

During the 20-minutes-hike to the beach, Oliver and Felicity talked about everything and nothing. They had the same easy talk they used to have a couple of years back, when things weren't so complicated in their lives. However during the last 6 months, the camaraderie between them was slowly returning to be what it was at the beginning of their friendship. Being away from everyone and everything seemed to knock down the last wall that kept them from reach that blessed harmony again.

They were relaxed. Just enjoying the moment.

Felicity and Oliver sat on a large towel, which protected them from the beach sand beneath them. The shore was rocky, but they were able to find a nice spot near a tide pool, where the sand was smoother.

They continued chatting while they ate all kinds of exotic goods taken out of a large basket Oliver had prepared for them. Felicity pointed the canister with an almost imperceptible tilt of her head. "How much do you have there? If you continue taking out delicious things out of that thing, I'm going to start thinking that that's Mary Poppins' bag."

Assorted crackers; Pita bread; fruits (grapes, figs, pomegranates, and all kinds of berries); 2 pieces of Feta and Mizithra cheese; and Caprese salad in a plastic bowl laid between them.

"Are you comparing me with a freaking flying nanny?" the humorous spark in Oliver's eyes contradicted his offended tone and dry expression. Somehow, she missed that.

Flustered, Felicity widened her eyes. "No! That's not what- Oliver, I'm sorry-. I..." she hid her red face behind her hands and whispered furiously, "when am I going to learn to shut my mouth?!"

He burst laughing out loud, in a way he seldom did, which made her lower her hands and stared at him. "I'm kidding, Felicity. Don't worry. I'm just teasing you." Before he knew what he was doing, Oliver leaned forward and planted a soft kiss in the corner of her mouth. When he realized what he had done, he slightly pulled back to make eye contact with her. Oliver expected to see Felicity's fury in them, or a very least her distress. It had been months since they shared a meaningful kiss. Since then, Felicity had made her escape, every time that things got intense between them, leaving them both in disappointment... and in a rising frustration. That was without mentioning the request she made him to take things slow. A promise he had kept through and through.

This kiss had started innocently enough, but as soon as Oliver's lips brushed hers, the air around them charged with concentrate sexual tension. Once it was unleashed, it was hard to collect again. It wasn't the first time it happened. In the past, it would be followed by an awkward phase, when the emotional distance between Oliver and Felicity seemed to grow. It was like making a step forward to just take two backwards.

In the present, Felicity held Oliver's gaze, a thousand of feelings running through her. They were spellbound, neither wanting to break apart. Time stopped and the world faded away. It was just the 2 of them that mattered.

Felicity put a hand on Oliver's cheek and smiled coyly. Oliver breathed easy. This time she wasn't rejecting him. A grin appeared on his face, but didn't dare to speak, afraid to say the wrong thing and undo the unexpected progress. Then, she did something even more unexpected. Like a woman with a mission, Felicity pushed aside the food that was between them. Then, it was her turn to lean forward and catch Oliver's lips between hers.

Far from gentle, Felicity kissed him fervidly. Oliver moaned at the taste of her. The ferocity of the kiss send a jolt directly to his groin and made his blood boil. He placed one hand on the back of Felicity head and buried his fingers in her hair. Oliver wrapped his other hand around her back and pulled her closer. He couldn't get enough of her. He needed Felicity more than oxygen.

Felicity wasn't immune to the passion of the moment either. While their tongues danced together, her heart raced like runaway horse. A blazing-hot wave washed over her, a heat that had nothing to do with the warmth of the scarce sunshine that managed to bypass the dense field of storm clouds in the sky. It liquefied every bone in her body and made her grow wet between her legs. She put her hands around Oliver and under his tee. She roamed them up and down on his back. She could feel every scar he had under her fingertips. Suddenly she had the urge to kiss each and every one of them. Her breasts were pushed against Oliver's hard chest. Her nipples became taut and oversensitive due friction against her clothes. She wished that Oliver played with her puckered nipples, as much as he yearned to do the same thing.

But much sooner than either of them wanted, they broke the kiss. Breathless and overheated, they put their foreheads together and looked into each other eyes. Oliver cupped her face with both hands, while she had her hands against his chest. "I've wanted to do that for a while," Felicity whispered out of breath.

"You did?" Oliver's tone was laced with disbelief and astonishment. "Then, why didn't you...? You should've told me," or better yet, do something sooner.

Felicity nodded and smiled sheepishly. "I was a fool and afraid. I thought I was doing the right thing taking things slow, but turned out to be the worst torture, ever! This wait, this yearning is the most difficult thing I ever endure in my life! It was worse than hacking Bruce Schneier's email," her long dated idol, a renowned cryptographer and computer security expert. "Have you any idea how difficult that is?! No one has been able to do it. Not even me... not yet. To tell the truth I've been a bit busy lately -fighting crime, taking down the League- and supposedly I shouldn't be hacking anything... 'cause I could go to prison, but it's every hacker dream. Although, if I crack Schneier's security, probably he would offered me a job. He should anyway, not send me to jail..."

She wasn't exaggerating on that. However, she had gone through really tough things in the last year alone. It hadn't been easy. Going against Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Assassins had taken toll on everyone. They were still picking up the debris, physical and emotional, caused by the destruction the Demon's Head had left behind.

"Felicity," Oliver gave her a quick kiss to quiet her adorable ramble. "You had every right to be cautious. I know I hurt you," guilt waned the happiness that had invaded Oliver minutes before. "It's a miracle that you even talk to me."

"Hey, no, Oliver," she caressed his jaw, "it's true that I wanted to beat you senseless for having your head so far up your butt, but I eventually understood that you weren't ready for us at the time. I couldn't force you to be with me. You had to come up with that decision entirely on your own. It was your choice not to be with me, and mine not to wait for you forever."

"You didn't wait to move on that long, either" Oliver said, without thinking. Jealousy had won the race to his common sense. As soon the words were out, he cringed inwardly, knowing what was coming. Felicity was going to chop his head off.

Felicity pull her hand off his face and widened the space between them. "What did you wanted me to do, Oliver? Hide in the same cave as you, seeing life pass by in front of my eyes while I got old. What would have happened if you decided that you weren't going to fight for us? I'm not fool. Despite my feeling for you, I wasn't willing to waste my life waiting for what I thought was impossible. And I did chose you." Oliver opened his mouth to speak, but Felicity stopped him. "Let me finish."

She took a deep breath and continue. "What I had with Ray isn't of your concern, but I going to tell you this. While I was with him, Ray offered me all I wanted it at the moment. The things that you weren't giving me. Looking at it as objectively as possible, he's almost the perfect man. I could've married the guy, easily. But do you want to know why I didn't stay with him?"

"Why?"

"Because he's not what I _need_, Oliver. Need and want are 2 very different things. I need _you_, and I love _you_. Even with your pigheadedness and all," he stared at her, a veil of bewilderment over his face. "What? Why are you looking me like that?" she asked.

"You- you just said that you love me," Oliver was the one who had declared those words to her in several occasions and in different ways. She had never said it back. Even though, he had no doubt that she loved him. But it was nice to hear those 3 little words coming out of her lips.

"Oh," Felicity blushed and exhaled sharply, embarrassment covered her face again. She leaned again closer to Oliver, trapping his bright face between her hands. "Some things are better left unsaid, but when something settles on your heart, sometimes you just need to let it out. And I've taken long enough to gather the courage to say it out loud. Oliver Jonas Queen, I. Love. You," she repeated, enunciating each word carefully. "I always have, and always will."

For very long time, Oliver thought he had a whole universe in which he needed to be alone... only it wasn't what he wanted anymore. Now he all he needed was Felicity. With her at his side, as his friend; as his partner in crime, or rather fighting against it; and as his lover, his life was complete. And right now, all he need it the most was to show Felicity how deeply were his feelings for her, that he would never again take her for granted. His body demanded to show her how hungry he was for her. To make a communion of their bodies in supreme ecstasy.

But for that, they needed privacy. Granted that the beach was almost deserted, there was just a group of 4 people at the opposite side of the shore, but he wouldn't do that to Felicity. Not when this was their first time together. She deserved much better than a quicky in a public beach where anyone could spot them. Oh, no. After months and months of dreaming about it, he was going to take his time with her.

This moment was just for the 2 of them.

Disappointment fell upon Felicity when Oliver didn't kiss her as she expected. Instead, he eased himself up and held a hand out to her. "Come on. Let's go."

"Wha-where? We just got here," despite her confusion, Felicity grabbed his hand.

As she weighed almost nothing, Oliver hauled her up to her feet, and pulled her tight against him. "Back to the house. This is no place for all the things I'm going do to you."

His seductive and throaty voice send chills through Felicity's body. It electrified her. The arousal she felt minutes before came back at full force. She could feel how Oliver's body seemed to hum with need and desire. And the scorching gaze he had on her made Felicity's skin tingle in anticipation.

The thought of finally making love with Oliver made her knees weak. She was only capable of watching him picking up the things they brought. She was almost certain that, if she made a step, her legs would fail her. Fortunately, he grabbed her hand once more to start back to the house. Felicity took his strength to walk straight.

Even when they took less time to return, the way back seemed longer than before. Time seemed to go slower. The clouds went from gray to black during their walk, the air vibrated with the thunders and the sky filled with lightning. The storm was coming. It was one of those that said it was the start of the apocalypse.

But not even that would prevent what was about to happen. Not God, or the Devil could stop Oliver and Felicity to fall in the hands of lust.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Hi, my lovelies_**

_**Sorry for the long speech coming up of a long chapter, after such long hiatus, but there's some things I need to say. First of all, I want to apologize for leaving you waiting for the new chapter for too long. The reason is that this chapter is entirely a sex scene, not explicit, but not suitable for minors either. Even when my fic is rated as mature, I know how strict is in such matter.**_

_**My intention was to make a watered down version of it to publish in here [in comparison with the one post on Ao3**** (I'm probably worrying to much about it, but it's better be safe than sorry)]****. I started to edit, but I realized that it would loose writing quality. I deliberated for week what to do, trying to find a solution that satisfied me. I came up with none. Therefore, I posting the original version, hoping the admins of the site won't delete it.**_

_**I hope you all enjoy it, and help you to endure summer hellatus!**_

_**As always, thank you for your reviews and follows. Rest assured that they are very appreciated.**_

_**PS: One more thing... I added a tiny bit of the songs I used as inspiration while I was writing this.**_

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**CHAPTER 5**

_Our eyes connected_

_Now nothing's how it used to be_

_No second guesses_

_Track in on this feeling_

_Pull focus close up you and me_

_Nobody's leaving_

_Got me affected_

_Spun me 180 degrees_

_It's so electric_

**'Slow' by Kylie Minogue.**

The sky broke down, and when Oliver and Felicity finally crossed the house threshold, they were soaking wet. The chilling wind and the cold rain did nothing to dissipate the ardent crave for one another that was consuming them. The thunder and the lightning were the perfect romantic soundtrack they needed.

The food basket was forgotten quickly, left by the front door. The towel fell no much farther behind. Deeper into the house they went, more desperate they became. Felicity's control was the first to snap. When they reached the kitchen, she jarred Oliver to a halt by tugging the hand that was linked to hers. He turned around surprised, with questioning knitting brows.

She didn't let out the question in the tip of his tongue. Before Oliver could pronounce a single word, Felicity pushed him back and pinned him against the island so that she could stand on her tiptoes and give him a hot kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Felicity took possession of his lips, nibbling them again and again.

Oliver couldn't put much resistance, even if he wanted it. He kissed her back harder, raw and demanding. He felt every inch of Felicity's body pressed against him. Her breasts were pressed against his chest. He wanted all of her and he wanted now. He wrapped his arms around her to pull her closer and shortened the nonexistent distance between them. A second later, he spun around and lifted her up to the counter as he deepened his kiss.

He pushed his hips forward so that his bulge pressed against her core. Her breath sweet and welcoming as her hips rubbed against the part of him that was swollen stiff and begging for the softest part of her body. She moaned at the intimate contact. Kissing him back as hard as she could, she wrapped her legs around his waist. Felicity's green and white hot pants blocked the path of Oliver's hands going up to where he most wanted to touch her. He slid them back down to her knees, and repeated the course over and over, feeling her smooth skin under his fingers.

Oliver couldn't think with her in his arms. All he wanted was to be inside her. It was a desire so potent, that he couldn't believe that it was real. Part of him wanted to take his time savoring her, but the other was beyond that.

In the end, the civilized part of him won the battle, barely. He broke the kiss. "Felicity, wait," he tried to step back but Felicity had her ankles crossed behind his back, trapping him.

While he panted struggling to regain control of his emotions and lust, she let out a moan in protest and flapped her arms, almost in a childish way. "No, Oliver. I want you. I _need_ you, please," Felicity begged.

Her heartfelt request almost undid him. He cupped her beautiful face and kissed the tip of her nose. "I need you, too. So bad...but this is our first time. I want to do this right for you, Felicity. I won't make love to you in the kitchen island."

She looked at him, her expression split between annoyed and adoring. "Why the hell not?! What's wrong with it? Never thought of you as a prude person," she smiled at him biting her bottom lip suggestively. "A little of dirty sex won't hurt us. I just want you inside me now," she put herself back to action. She hooked her thumbs on the waistline of his surfer shorts to pull them down.

_Oh goodness, this woman is going to kill me!_

He stilled her hands and leaned his forehead on her chest feeling it going up and down at the rhythm of her agitated breathing, and trembling himself with the effort not to yield to her demand. He was always so weak when it came to please her in anything she wanted. He glanced back at her. "Just wait until we get into the bed, please."

"Fine," she surrounded his neck with her arms, and tightened her legs around his waist. Doing the latter, both groaned when the friction between them grew. Oliver had the feeling she had done it on purpose. "Take me to bed, Oliver. I want to rock your world, once and for all."

Unable to resist any longer, Oliver carried Felicity upstairs and got in to the first bedroom he found. His.

After both of them discarded their sandals, Oliver laid her down on the mattress. Without breaking his hold, he lay down on top of her, cradled between her legs, and kissed her fully, deeply, as she took hold again of his hair with one hand and ran the other on his upper back. He sampled the warmth of her mouth and listened to her moans of pleasure.

Closing his eyes, he inhaled her unique scent and let it wash over him. He didn't think it was any perfume or soap she used, it was her natural scent that was so mouthwatering to him. An aroma that had maddening him for 3 long years. He had dreamt endless nights to be doused in it. It was intoxicating and addicting, and he had never tasted anything better in his life.

He explored under her top and felt Felicity shivering at the feel of the heat of his hand. Oliver sucked his breath in sharply as he felt her small breast through the soft cloth of her bathing suit and his body hardened to the point of pain. Slowly, he ran his hand over the contours of her breast then swept his thumb over the taut nipple. His body on fire, he wanted to sink himself deep inside her so badly that he could already taste it. He growled in pleasure, the sound deep and primal.

Needful.

"I love the way you feel, Felicity," he breathed against her mouth. He abandoned it, trailing his lips and tongue down to the column of her soft neck.

She gasped every time his thumb brushed over her puckered nipple. Oliver thought it couldn't be a view more exquisite than Felicity lost in the pleasure of his touch. Not matter what the future held for them, he'd remember it until the last of his days.

But when he pushed her top over her head, he realized then how mistaken he was. He didn't miss a beat to tug the cords around her neck and back that held together the top piece of her bikini. The sight of her bare perfect breasts made his breath got caught in his lungs. They were small and firm, their rosy nipples hard and swollen, just begging him for a taste. Her belly was flat, her skin pale and inviting.

He cupped one of her breast gently in his hand as he rolled his tongue around the swollen nipple, gently sucking and nipping her.

She cradled his head in her hands and watched him as he groaned with bliss. He took his time tasting her. Every inch of her skin was licked and teased. He couldn't get enough of her.

"It's not fair," she breathed. He lift his eyes to hers and hummed, without stopping the lazy sweeps of his tongue over her other breast. "I'm half naked and you still got all your clothes on."

Oliver chuckled, and his breath over her skin tightened her nipple even more. "As you wish." Oliver gave her one last lick and got on his knees and pulled his tee over his head. Felicity sat and kissed his hard and marred abdomen. He hissed in pleasure as she moved her hands around his hips to his butt. Slowly, seductively, she slid his shorts down, baring him to her. He'd never experienced anything more erotic.

"Lie down."

Wasting no time, he obeyed the sizzling command and splayed himself on his back. It never occurred to him that she taking control in bed would feel so right. That had never happened to him with a woman before. But Felicity wasn't any woman. She was the person who he trust the most in the entire world. He knew she wouldn't break that trust or harm him in any way.

Felicity gifted him a sultry smile, as she removed her cute hot pants and the lower part of the bikini, deliberately slow, unveiling her hidden treasure. His brain froze when he discovered she was almost bare. She was very well trimmed, only leaving a small triangle of dark hair pointing at the place he was dying to devour. He felt himself hardening even more, and a strangled groan left his throat. If things didn't speed up, he wouldn't last long to go inside her.

It was him now who was desperate. Instead, Felicity seemed to have calmed down and was enjoying every second of it. Felicity sized him up, and licked her lips as if she was savoring a delicious dish she was about to eat.

He leaned up on his elbows. "Felic-"

She straddled him with a devilish expression and put a finger over his lips to shush him. He couldn't help give her a tiny kiss on the fingertip. He sucked his breath in sharply as she kissed her way down his body and ran her sweet tongue over his chest. She pulled back to smile at him then nudged him to lie back on the bed. He obliged. She ran her hands over his chest, outlining every scar and tattoo he had. She seemed hypnotized by them.

She kissed her way down his abdomen kissing and laving the scars that gave testimony of the hell he went through for 5 years. As she brush her lips against each one, the memories of how he had gotten them started to fade away. She was being the angel capable of driving his demons away. At that moment no even a bad memory or nightmare would come to him. She brushed her hands through the hair at the juncture of his thighs then played gently with him and he was totally lost to her touch.

There was only she and him. The rest of the world stopped existing.

She went farther south over his body. His mind spun as pleasure ripped through his entire being. He sucked his breath in sharply as her tongue darted down the length of him before she took him completely into her mouth. His eyes rolled back in his skull as he shook all over.

He shivered at the sensation of her tongue swirling and teasing him with pure bliss. He sank his hand in her soft, blonde curls as he watched her savor him. "Felicity," he breathed her name reverently. "Oh, God!" he never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams, how hot damn good it felt Felicity pleasing him. She had no idea how much she meant to him. Words would never be able to express the depth of his feelings for her.

Oliver brushed the hair back from her face as he stared down into her green-grayish eyes, wishing she could know how happy she made him. "I love you."

Felicity smiled and hummed in appreciation. The vibrations ran through all his length, the sensation drove him crazy. He grunted... he almost made himself a fool. He got to damn close to the orgasm. "You're killing me, Felicity."

She gave him one last lick before she slowly kissed her way up his body until she could claim his decadent mouth that was begging for her kisses. He growled and held her tight as she ran her hand over his shoulders. Felicity pulled away so that she could nibble his chin, her breath caressed his cheek. Oliver seized her face with his hands and took her breath away with a wild kiss. "Now it's my turn to torment you," he said, before flipping over and pinning her with the weight of his body.

**# # # # # # # #**

_And the whole night went by so fast _

_Between kisses and illusions _

_Under the full moon _

_And we said only few words to one another _

_When our mouths were free to talk _

_And we got lost in the silver and black night _

_There I understood that living is worthwhile _

**Translation of 'Fuera de este mundo' (Out of this world) by Franco de Vita.**

Oliver leaned forward over Felicity and buried his lips against her neck. She tilted her head back, giving him more access to her throat, and held him close as she raked one hand down his back to feel his muscles flex. She was absolutely dizzy from the sensation of his lips on her flesh. From the warm, virile scent of his body.

Oliver took his time exploring her face, her jawline, and the length of her neck, giving her light kisses, and licking every inch of skin, but always bypassing her lips. Felicity realized he had been serious about the torment. She wanted to taste his lips again, but he wasn't complying her wishes.

"Please, Oliver," she begged... and something told her that wouldn't her last time saying those words that night.

"Patience, love. I intend to nibble you, nice and slow."

Felicity gasped at the sensation of his tongue swirling around her earlobe. The sensation was so overwhelming that she barely was capable of appreciate the endearment for her that came out of his lips. Oliver didn't seemed to be the kind of man used to use a lot of pet names with his girlfriends. Not that she had heard him, anyway. In fact, he had never use one with her, except for 'Girl Wednesday' back in the day. To the only person Felicity had heard Oliver routinely using a nickname was with his sister, Thea.

But that wasn't the time to think about his family or let fly her thoughts. Not that she could. Oliver wouldn't let her, his trail of hot kisses going down to her chest kept her enraptured in the moment. He stopped just a second to study her breasts and then he took one into his mouth. He seemed to be obsessed by it. He had already sampled it not long ago, but now he was doing it again with the same voracious appetite, if not more. The neglected breast soon got attention that was asking for. Meanwhile Oliver laved one with due indolence, he gently kneaded the other one. She cradled his head in her hands and watched him as he groaned with bliss.

With each sweep of his tongue, a wave of heat ran through her, directly to her womb. Her bones were liquefied, her heart beat so fast and so hard that she wasn't sure how it still was inside of her chest. Felicity wanted to weep of how amazing Oliver felt on top of her, but more for how much she wanted to feel him filling her.

"Oliver..."

He looked at her with a wicked grin on his lips. She didn't need to say it. He knew exactly what she was asking. He moved lower, to her stomach and then lower still. He took her into his mouth.

Oliver took his time tasting her as he dipped his right hand to gently probe the delicate folds of her body. She moaned as he moved his hand slightly and dipped his thumb inside her while he continued to tease her with his tongue. Swirling and swirling, licking and caressing. Her head spun at the feel of his whiskers gently scraping between her thighs, rubbing her between her legs. His tongue worked magic on her. She didn't know why but this was something more than just sex. Something about being here with him...

She needed this. It was like he touched more than just her body. He touched her heart. Her soul.

At that instant, her love for him burned with so much intensity her chest, spreading out to every inch of her body. She alone knew this part of him. She seriously doubted that Oliver had given himself away to somebody else with such abandon, and even more after coming back from those hellish years away. She couldn't feel any hesitation in him. He had made his mind about to give them a chance and he was going to travel this path to the end.

Her breathing ragged, she throbbed from the top of her head, all the way down to the very tips of her toes. She'd never in her life known such intense pleasure. She grabbed the bed covers for her dear life and buried her heels on Oliver's back while his tongue danced over her until she was breathless and weak. "Oh gosh... yes, there!" In just a matter of seconds, Oliver's screamed name bounced off the walls when her body exploded into pure bliss.

He kissed a slow path back up her body, before he buried his lips against her throat. "Felicity, I love hearing you saying my name in ecstasy," he growled in her ear, before he gently sucked her lobe. "But I want to hear it again when I'm inside you."

_Yes! Thank you, Almighty!_ Finally, it was going to happen what she waited for so long to happen.

Only, that it didn't.

Suddenly, Oliver moved away. She whimpered in protest. "Where are you going?!" she already missed his warmth, his weight on top of her, his delectable masculine scent.

"I'm looking for this," he stretched himself across the bed reaching for the nightstand's drawer and took a small package from inside.

A condoms package.

One of Felicity's eyebrow went north. "What?" he asked innocently, while he picked a single condom for use.

"Those came with the villa's service, or did you bring them?"

"I was hopeful that we might need them," he said in shameless husky voice.

"You did, huh?" she licked her lips watching him with rapt attention, meanwhile he sheathed himself. She had quite fresh in her memory how delicious it was tasting his hard and velvet shaft with her mouth. His salty essence was still impregnated in her taste buds.

Felicity beckoned Oliver with her finger. She had waited long enough. If she didn't have him inside her in the next 5 seconds, she was going to die. He obliged. Oliver returned to lie on top of her. Then her thoughts scattered again and she became one with the moment. Even more desperate to have him inside her body again, she wiggled her hips. He gave her a sweet kiss on her lips then carefully slid himself inside her. They moaned simultaneously.

Felicity sighed in content feeling the thick fullness of Oliver inside her. It was absolute heaven. But nothing compared to when he started to thrust in and out of her. Slow, so slow. She bit her lip holding her gaze into his.

Oliver held himself up with one arm to not smother her with his weight so he could cup her cheek. He compelled her to release her trapped lip with delicate strokes of his thumb. Felicity couldn't help the urge to take it into her mouth. When she sucked his thumb gently, he dragged his breath in sharply, and retaliated her wicked mischief by thrusting deeper inside her.

Felicity arched her back, taking everything she could. She groaned at his thick fullness inside her. He was absolutely huge and yet so very gentle. She ran her hands over his muscular back and down to his waist, awestruck by the contradiction he represented. The raw scars in his body and rough hands were exactly in the opposite side of how tenderly he was making love to her.

"I should've known," she whispered, panting.

Oliver stopped at mid-thrust, nonplussed. "What?"

"That you, Oliver Queen, also excel in the carnal arts. I was afraid that I was in for an unpleasant surprise when I sleep with you. But there here I have it. The proof of how mistaken I was."

His entire body shook with his uproarious laughter. Still chuckling, he sinked his head in search for her lips and gave her a long, unhurried kiss. His lips might have moved slow, but not his hip. Oliver increased the tempo of his hip swings. Going faster and harder. Felicity met him stroke by stroke.

"Felicity, hold on to me tight."

Those words almost sent her over the edge. She looked at him in the eyes, and saw the recognition of when was the first time he said those words to her. "You remember."

"I remember every single moment with you."

Felicity's heart melt, as the rest of her. "I love you," she said, with her emotions chocking her.

Nuzzling her neck, Oliver spoke with the same heartfelt sentiment. "And I love you."

She pulled him down to kiss him while he rode her even faster, seeking their own slice of heaven. Arching her back, she screamed his name again as pleasure ripped her apart and her body spammed with pure rhythmic ecstasy. Oliver quickened his thrusts searching for his release, which didn't take long to come. He joined her in nirvana, throwing his head back and roaring with the pleasure that went through him. She held Oliver tight until the last tremor shook him.

Completely spent and sated, Oliver collapsed on top of her. Felicity didn't mind at all the weight crushing her. It felt... right. She ran her hands onto Oliver's back waiting for him to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" she asked him, after a long moment. He hadn't move at all.

"Shouldn't be me asking you that?" Oliver finally lifted his head and watched her. The intense, possessive look in his eyes left her breathless.

"I-I'm fine," she stuttered. She took a moment to collect herself and took a deep breath. "More than fine. I'm amazing. Oh, my God, Oliver. There's no words."

He smiled and nibbled her lips, "Feel the same way." Pair of groans filled the air when Oliver slided out of her and climbed out of bed. "Be right back," he said before she got the chance to ask where he was going. He went to the bathroom, threw away the condom and got back to bed. Felicity purred happily when he spooned with her. He wrapped an arm around her torso and palmed one of her breasts. His legs got intertwined with hers. There was no distance between them. In his arms, she felt loved and cherished. Beautiful and desirable.

"Don't think I've finished with you," he whispered in her ear. She smiled feeling him hardening already. "I think I'll never going to have enough of you. You're too delectable for your own good."

Finally her dream had come true... and it was so much better than anything she could ever imagine.

**# # # # # # # #**

_I didn't hear you leave _

_I wonder how am I still here _

_And I don't want to move a thing _

_It might change my memory _

**'Here with me' by Dido **

Felicity didn't realize she had fallen asleep until she woke up with a start, alone in bed. For a moment she thought everything had been a dream. But it had felt so real. Oliver making love to her for so many hours... both learning each other's bodies... their likes and dislikes. _Please, don't be a dream!_

Even when she laid in other than her bed, she was naked under the covers, and her body was deliciously sore in the right places, she wouldn't believe it until Oliver himself corroborated what had happen that afternoon. She was afraid to even move. If it had been just a dream, the most vivid and erotic she ever had, she didn't want to risk forgetting that mental image. She wanted to hold it dear in her memory forever. At least, she'd have that.

Gazing to the empty side of the bed, she pictured Oliver, totally spent and with satisfied smile on his face, cuddling her with his protective arms around her. In a perfect cocoon of love. She felt protected, loved and cherished. Why haven't Felicity noticed when he got out of bed? Where was he? "Oliver?" she called out to him.

The soft tinkling of the rain against the glass walls was the only answer she got.

She didn't want to think that he was doing one his infamous retreat escapes he had done in the past, he couldn't do that to her. Not after promised her that this time he was serious in his intentions toward her. He had said he wouldn't back out anymore, not matter how complicated the situation got or how scared he was.

Felicity was about to pull the sheets off her and get out of bed to go looking for him when the bedroom door opened. Oliver smiled when his eyes fell upon her. "You're awake. Good," his husky tone sent an erotic wave through her. Her body remembered all the places that he had touched her... with his hands, with his mouth, filling her. Felicity got short-breathed feeling her body tingling on those places, yearning for more... soon! And he being dressed only with his boxer-briefs, which made really easy to see how well-endowed he was, didn't help to cool her down. Neither did his scorching gaze roaming over her entire body. He was eating her from head to toe.

She pulled the light sheets higher in a silly attempt to hide her breast and erect nipples. Useless move from her part, because she did it too slow. Oliver had already seen them... and honestly, after all the passion they shared during the last hours, it was a little silly for her to be embarrassed now. "What do you got there?" she asked catching his attention.

Oliver was carrying a big tray with food on his hands. "A late lunch... or an early dinner, your choice. I imagined you'd be hungry when you wake up. Am I wrong?"

"No," she confessed, hoping that her growling stomach wasn't too loud for him to hear it. He put the tray on the mattress at the foot of the bed, and lean over Felicity to kiss her blind. He took possession of her mouth completely. She couldn't do anything else but open her mouth and grant him the access he was demanding. He tongue danced with hers doing the wickedest thing to her. He moaned tasting her, while Felicity felt lava burning her entire body. Her head reeled by the sensation. Dizzily, she lift her arms and put them around his neck. She grasped his short hair making sure he wouldn't go anywhere.

Oliver pulled back a little bit and chuckled. "You _are_ hungry."

Felicity lifted a shoulder with a nonchalance she didn't feel. She was well aware that her face burned even more, like she didn't thought it was possible. "I can't deny myself the delights that are in front of me," seductively she brushed her tongue over her lips, tasting the essence he had left of them.

Oliver growled softly and his eyes darkened with desire. "Let's eat," he reply in thick voice, and amended. "The food. Let's eat the food. I'm hungry. Need food before Round 2."

"Then the dessert?"

Oliver growled louder this time. "Yes, dessert later"

Felicity didn't know from where her boldness was coming from, but she was enjoying to see Oliver agitatedly stammer for once instead of her. It made him see more vulnerable, more open to her and what she was offering. He finally had lowered down all the barriers he had uplifted once to protect himself. Now she truly believed that Oliver was gripping happiness with both hands and would never let go.

A happy life... with her.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thank you to the new followers (to the old ones, too) for the support. You have no idea how much you brighten my days with a single follow or review. You guys are the best._

_Let's get to business, shall we? Here I leave you the next chapter. I hope you like it._

* * *

**CHAPTER 6**

Oliver and Felicity didn't do much in the next 5 days. The almost constant rain didn't encouraged them to get out of the house, and that was fine by them. They had no intention of doing so. Making love had become an obsession for them. They couldn't stop having their hands off each other. The bed wasn't their only playground. There was little place or room in that house where they hadn't had sex. His bedroom, her bedroom, on the couch in the living room, on the couch in the outdoor lounge, in the pool, in the shower, in the Jacuzzi... even on the kitchen island! It was a miracle that either of them could walk right after such intense sexathon.

By day 3, Oliver learned he hadn't being the only one prepared to have sex on that trip. They were on his bedroom in bed when he reached for the box of condoms to realize that - oh, the horror! - it was empty. They already had used them all. He turned to face Felicity. "Huston, we got a problem," he said showing her the package. "We're out."

Instead of mirroring the panicked and agonized expression that surely he had on his face, Felicity smiled at him. She darted out of bed, leaving him perplexed. He watched her through the glass walls walking to her bedroom where all her things still were. Despite to have been sleeping -really sleeping- together all those days, she hadn't move her clothes to the room they shared.

She was completely naked, like if that wasn't enough to tempt him, the swing of her hips had him absolutely spellbound. Oliver registered every of her delicate moves that accentuated the curves on her body. She seemed to dance around the room, and before he knew what she was looking for, she returned.

"Problem solved," she said by the door threshold throwing at him a brand new box of condoms. "I was hopeful, too," she echoed the words he said to her before.

"Come here, minx. I knew there was a reason why I love you so much."

Aaaaaaand they were back to business.

However, considering that the sun had gifted them the luxury of its presence and the ever-prevailing storm clouds were miraculously missing from the sky, they decided to get out of the house that morning. It seem like the perfect timing for a little excursion to the nearest big town, to savor the local cuisine, enjoy the holidays atmosphere, and perhaps to buy little trinkets for everyone back home.

Being honest, Oliver had an ulterior motive, too. They were running dangerously low on condoms again, and the chances of Felicity bringing a second box weren't good. He needed to find some store to buy more. He wouldn't fool himself thinking that Felicity and he would be able to stay away from each other, even without having protection.

The fact that both had foreseen that they'd need the aforementioned protection was a big telling that neither of them wanted to deal the consequences of having unprotected sex. They both agreed on that without the need to talk about it.

They drove heading North to the city of Kissamos. The landlady, Mrs. Cosse, had recommended him a few restaurants in the area. The drive by the coast became longer than the expected 60 minutes. They stopped several times along the road when they, mostly Felicity, saw something she liked. They took pictures to show everyone when they got back to Starling city. Oliver loved the way that Felicity's face brightened every time she discovered a new marvel. It was absolutely delightful to see how something like a beautiful rare flower or a breathtaking view to the sea could bring her so much joy. He was glad that both had gone on vacations together.

Once in the city, they went shopping first, they still weren't hungry for lunch. Joined by their hands, fingers intertwined, Oliver and Felicity walked among great amount of locals and the very few tourists in town.

"Oliver, let's see over here. Come," Felicity hauled him forward to a shop window. The store was the first of a set of 6 small businesses, most of them selling jewelry and handcrafts. "Oh! Look at that!" she pointed to an extravagant necklace of loud colors gems. "It's perfect for my mom, don't you think?" she asked, leaning over him and putting her hand over his chest. The spontaneous and innocent gesture, which she had done innumerable times in the past, sent a current through him, waking up his body again.

Oliver wondered if it would be a time when his body wouldn't flared up when she got near to him. Or if he would ever stop loving she doing that.

And perhaps, the touch wasn't as innocent as Oliver thought at first. When his breath got caught in his lungs, Felicity caressed him gently, a knowing smile spreading on her face. The minx knew exactly what she was doing and the reaction that was provoking in him. Fine, he would endure her teasing while they were in public, but the second they got back to the house she was going to pay.

A silent promise that he would keep thoroughly.

"Sure it is," he finally answered her, cupping her face with one hand and kissing her in the cheek. Next, he suggested, "Want to go inside to buy it?"

"Mm-hmm. And maybe we can find something for Thea."

"Sounds good."

Their plan, however, was sidetracked. They haven't made a single step toward the store's entrance, when an olive-skinned, and dark-haired man peeked out of it. "Oliver Queen, _is that really you_?"

The familiar voice in Greek took him by surprise. It had been a while since the last time he heard it. "Stefanos?"

The man's face brightened at the recognition, and switched his words to English. "I thought I would never see you again. What are you doing here?"

Cutting memories surged in Oliver's mind. The events from 6 years before were as vivid as they were all that time ago. Refusing to yield to his crushing past, Oliver try to push the reminiscence back into submission while he clasped the hand that Stefanos had stretched out to him. "I'm visiting the island for a few days. Good to see you." Oliver felt Felicity's hesitant touch on his arm, he turned to her, before introducing her to his old friend. "Forgive my manners. Felicity, this is Stefanos Spiteri." He put an arm around her shoulders. "Stefanos, this my Felicity. Felicity Smoak, my girlfriend."

_Mine._

Oliver knew Felicity wasn't _his_ as in his property, nor he wanted her to be, but it felt so good declared to the world some kind of warning to everyone that she was with him and she was off limits. She glanced sideways at him, letting him know that he would hear what she thought about his words soon enough. But not while they had company. Felicity stretched her hand out, but Stefanos gave her a kiss in each cheek, following the European fashion. "Nice to meet you, Felicity."

"Nice to meet you, too," she said. "How do you 2 know each other?"

"Oliver saved my father's life."

Felicity glanced at him and Oliver fidgeted, uncomfortable in his own skin. By the pride in her eyes, he knew what Felicity was thinking... that he had been the hero she was used to see him as. But that wasn't the truth. Not at all. What happened had nothing of heroic. It had been his darkest hour. The time he spent in Lian Yu and Hong Kong had been a walk in the park in comparison.

Oliver rarely lingered in his memories of Greece. Those were the ones that would chase him for the eternity... the ones that woke him at night, drenched in sweat and trembling as a leaf. They were so bad that, even Oliver being standing there next to Felicity and Stefanos, in broad daylight, he could feel the panic setting inside him. Cold sweat ran down his nape and his mouth was completely dry.

The deafening frantic beat of his heart made him almost impossible to follow the conversation between Felicity and Stefanos. He struggled to stay in the moment, but the memories kept dragging him away.

_Electricity running through him. His muscles twitching in agony. His jaw clenched tight holding an agonized scream. When were they going to realize he wouldn't say a word? _

_The pain relented a few seconds and Oliver dragged air to his lungs again. "Who do you work for?" one of his torturer asked for umpteenth time. At Oliver's silence, the pain came back in tenfold. He couldn't hold back anymore. A scream came out of his raw and dry throat._

**# # # # # # # #**

The painful pressure on her hand wrapped around her boyfriend's told Felicity that something was wrong; it made her looked up at Oliver's face. "Sweetie, you okay?"

Oliver blinked several times and glanced at her. "Yes, I'm fine."

Felicity knew that was a lie. One he used to say a lot when he was _everything_ but fine. The perspiration on his forehead, his agitated breathing, and the tense smile on his lips told a different story. She wanted to pry more but Oliver closed off. He wasn't willing to talk about whatever was going on with him, and she knew that there was nothing she could do to change his mind. Instead, he talked with his Greek friend as if nothing happened. He was good at that. "How's your family?" he asked.

Oliver's act didn't fool Felicity. Even it seemed to have passed the spell he was under, she knew he was still shaken up inside.

"Good, good. Papas is doing really well," Stefanos said with relief, "He decided to remain on main land. He lives on Athens now. But my siblings and I decided to come back to our island. Do you remember Misie, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"This is her store!" the man knocked the store window to catch his sister's attention, saying something in Greek. Felicity assumed that it was inviting her to come out. The beautiful tall, curvy woman, around Felicity's age, hesitated at the door. "Look who is here," Stefanos said excitedly, stepping to a side to let his sister to have a full view of Oliver.

She gasped as soon as she recognized him. "Oliver!" she yelled and ran to him. Having no courtesy for Felicity standing right next to him, the brunette wrapped her arms around Oliver in a tight embrace. Then she cupped his face. "_Theé Mou!_ You're as handsome as always. I could eat you," she said before kissing both of his cheeks.

Usually, Felicity didn't give in to jealousy. She thought it was an awful emotion to have. A total waste of time and energy. But if that woman continued pawing Oliver with her sharp claws, Felicity was going to enlighten her in how much sharper hers were. She cleared her throat, grabbed possessively Oliver's arm with both of her hands, and introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Felicity. Oliver's girlfriend."

_He's _mine_. Mine!_

Misie finally noticed her, the smile on her lips never waned. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Silly me that I didn't see you there. A pleasure to meet you."

_Sure it is_. "You, too."

Missie looked like she was dying of cuteness. She cupped her own face and bit her bottom lip. "You're such a pretty little thing."

_Little thing? A little thing?! Are you insane? I'm not a fracking giant like you, but neither I'm 3 inches tall! _

_I don't like you, at _all_._

"Oliver... a girlfriend? Since when Mr. Handsome Playboy has a girlfriend? Last thing I remember is that you had every girl in Livadia at your feet. Even me!"

"Misie!"

"What?" she turned to see her embarrassed brother.

He ignored her. "Oliver, my friend, you know how she is, I don't have tell you," to Felicity's surprise, Oliver didn't seemed irritated by the woman. In fact, he had the same expression on his face when she had one of her infamous ramblings. The spark on his eyes was a clear indication of his amusement.

Stefanos came close to Felicity and patted affectionately the hand she had on Oliver's arm. "Please, forgive my baby sister's bluntness, Felicity. My family tried for many years to teach her some manners but, as you can see, it was a waste of time."

Misie slapped her brother's shoulder. "Oh shush! How can you say that about me, your favorite sister?!"

"You're my _only_ sister."

"Hence, your favorite."

Stefanos looked at her, exasperated, Oliver laughed. "Stop you 2. Don't make me separate you like children. And Artemisia, you're wrong. Felicity is not my girlfriend-"

The pain in Felicity's chest didn't let her breath. Oliver just had ripped her heart out of her chest, dropped it on the floor and stepped on it. She loosened her grip on him with every intention of stepping away, but he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her even closer.

"Not _just_ my girlfriend, I mean. She's my partner, my best friend, my lover, my entire world. There's nobody like her." Oliver tightened his hold on her. "She's the one, Misie," he whispered out loud.

The woman cooed at his love declaration, while Oliver leaned over Felicity and kissed her temple. "I love you," he whispered, his breath tickling her skin. Looking up, Felicity tried to hold her unshed tears and swallow the lump on her throat. How did he did that? How could Oliver lie her heart on the ground one second and set it flying the next?

"You okay?" he asked her, wiping a falling, traitorous tear off her cheek with his thumb.

At the contact, she tilt her head, looking for more, and nodded. "Are you?" not all the amusement he felt for Artemisia, nor the love he had for her took away completely the torment in his soul reflected in his gorgeous blue eyes. Definitely Oliver knew how to mask his inner turmoil with a happy face. But Felicity knew him better than anyone, maybe even himself. Oliver nodded once and she warned him, "We need to talk."

"Later."

"Aw, look at that, _adelfós_," Misie's voice got to them. "Isn't the cutest thing you've ever seen?"

"_Gia tin agápi tou Theoú_, Artemisia," he exhaled sharply. "Let's leave them alone. I think you've mortified Felicity enough for one day. I've never seen someone blushing so much because of your words."

Still holding his gaze into hers, Oliver smiled wickedly. "I don't know, Stefanos. I've seen her going even redder when she-"

"You say when, Oliver Queen, and you'll be in the dog house for the rest of the eternity!"

"I just was going to say 'when you're...'"

"Shh!"

"...mad at me,"

"Oh!"

Oliver frowned. "What did you think I was going to say?"

Felicity felt even more heat creeping up to her face. Her filthy mind had betrayed her once more. She thought he was going to mention how she flared up when they were making love. Of course in that moment, she realized that being the perfect gentleman that he always had been, Oliver would never shame her like that. She wrinkled her entire face, and wished that the Earth opened beneath her feet and swallowed her whole. "Nothing," she squealed.

Oliver hugged her, wrapping his arms tight around her. She held on to his t-shirt and buried her face in her chest. She felt him shaking with silent laughter. She groaned, as more shame filled her. He was onto her. He knew _exactly_ what her thoughts were.

Oliver kissed the top of her head. "Come on, love," he pushed her away from him and lifted her chin with a finger. "Let's get inside, Stefanos and Artemisia are waiting for us."

Just as he said, the Spiteri siblings were nowhere to be seen on the sidewalk. They were inside sparing her of further humiliation. Probably Stefanos' idea. He seemed to be such a gentleman, just like Oliver.

"Can't we go home instead? I'm embarrassing you in front of your friends. I'm sure they think I'm crazy."

"First, embarrassing me how? I can't be more proud to show you off to them. Second, have you met Artemisia? There's no one on this Earth crazier than her. Besides, they _love_ you. Stefanos adores you -which reminds me I might need to have some words with him, he better keeps his distance from you- and if Misie didn't like you, believe me, you'd know. That girl is wild crazy when it comes to protect her family and friends."

"Yeah, crazy she is," she muttered, and added in much clear tone, "And with little grabby hands, too."

"It's that jealousy I'm hearing?"

Felicity wasn't fan of the smugness on Oliver's face and voice. "Maybe... but if I were you I wouldn't say a word about it, 'cause, pal, you had your share today, too."

Her words didn't wiped the smirk off his lips. Oliver simply took a step back and raised his arms in surrender. "I have nothing to say, only that really you have nothing to worry about Artemisia. She's not my type, and I'm not hers."

Felicity glared at him. "Did you forget that I know your extensive list of ex-girlfriends? What was that type of yours? With the face and body of a supermodel, leggy, and willing?"

That effectively erased his bright face, now it was Oliver glaring at her. Felicity didn't feel any regret in saying what she said.

Well, perhaps a little. Honesty could be a bitch.

"I won't apologize for my past, promiscuous and all. It's what it is, past. As you pointed out, I didn't exactly have a defined type, Felicity. I found out that out when I met you. _You_ are my type."

It was so hard not to smile and love Oliver when he said thing like that to her. Okay, now she was feeling bad for bringing up the ex-girlfriends. It wasn't fair. Felicity also had a life before Oliver Queen. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. You're right, past is past. I know I shouldn't be jealous, but she's gorgeous and had her cla-," Felicity took a breath and stopped before going further in her bitchy path, "her _hands_ all over you."

"You're gorgeous... and, just so you know, I'm not Misie's type because she's a lesbian."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Who should be doubly worried here is me, by the way she and her brother dote you."

"You have nothing to worry about either."

"I know," he said shrugging.

Felicity finally surrendered to his cocky charm and let him take her inside the store and back to his friends.

**# # # # # # # #**

Felicity had to admit that, after spending a short while with Misie, the woman had grown very fast on her, once she got used to her buoyant personality. Her jealousy about her was completely gone. Turned out to be that Misie had a girlfriend. And for the way she talked about her, they were pretty much in love. What hadn't change a bit was that Felicity still thought that the youngest Spiteri had not one but all the screws loose. Artemisia was crazy as a loon, but well-intended and with a big heart.

Despite all the objections Oliver and Felicity made against it, Misie didn't want to charge them for the purchase they were trying to make. Stefanos backed up his sister in the matter, saying that what Oliver had done for the family could never be fully repaid. They could take everything what Misie had in her store and that would be just an insignificant gesture in comparison. Neither, Oliver or her, seemed to like the idea of accept such gift. Eventually, the 4 of them got to a compromise. Felicity and Oliver would pay anything they took... but with a very good discount. Even so, Felicity wouldn't take advantage of Artemisia's and Stefanos' generosity, so she chose only 2 piece of jewelry to take with her: the necklace she had seen on the window for her mother, and a pair of adorable earrings that were perfect for John and Layla's toddler, Sara.

Oliver picked up a beautiful pendant with emeralds and rubies. It was 2 intertwined platinum spirals, one embedded with rubies and the other with emeralds. Felicity thought he bought it for his sister, Thea, until he put it around her neck. "Oliver, what-? No, I can't accept this."

He paid no heed to her words. "Consider it an earlier holiday present," he said and kissed her cheek.

Turning around to face him, she reminded him, "You already paying for this trip... Ring a bell? I think that's present enough."

It wasn't that she didn't like the charm, she did. A lot. It was absolutely spectacular. Delicate and elegant. She had looked at it before, but it wasn't cheap. She wasn't willing to pay the price, and doubted that Oliver could or should afford it. Not for her, when he already had given her so much.

"Is it that, or you don't like it? If you don't you can choose any other thing you like."

"Oh, God, no! It's lovely!"

"So, keep it."

"It's too much, really," she tried to open the chain holding the pendant, but Oliver stilled her hands. "I can't-"

"Felicity," he used his don't-argue-with-me tone, "I want you to have it."

Biting her lip, she grabbed the delicate piece between her fingers and detailed carefully. Oliver came behind her, and wrapped his arms around her stomach, and Felicity put a hand over them. Oliver put his chin on her shoulder and spoke softly. "Want to know why I choose that for you?"

Now she needed to know. Asking that, Oliver knew that would pique her curiosity and her incessant need to figure out mysteries. "Why?" she urged.

"It remind me of us. Do you see the intertwined pattern of red and green?" Felicity tilted her head slightly to study him, her forehead furrowed in confusion. She still didn't see what he was seeing. "It how I want to expend the rest of my life, always linked together with yours."

She caught up. "Awww! You're the green... I'm the red. Why am I red? Because the way I blush?"

"In part. But also 'cause you look so damn hot when you wear red dresses. I assumed that is your favorite color."

For many years, black had been her favorite. Then, after college, and her Goth phase was over, red had become her preferred color. However, everything changed 3 years ago. Since then, she couldn't choose between the green hue of the Arrow suit and the blue tone of Oliver's eyes.

He was right, though. She had some weakness to dress in scarlet.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Oliver Queen?"

"What?"

She cupped his cheek, "You're brooding and taciturn, never this sweet and adorable. It's a bit unsettling." Pivoting around in the circle of his arms, Felicity grabbed him by the shirt and pull him down to kiss him. "But I kinda like it," she whispered against his lips.

He growled softly, and kissed her back. "Well, I never knew you were the minx that I've seen all these days."

Naturally, she blushed.

"But what I haven't figure out yet is why you're shy in public and so..." he hummed in delight, "bold in private."

She lifted a shoulder with a nonchalance she didn't feel. "That's for you only, baby."

"Back at ya."

The delighted sigh of Artemisia burst the bubble that Felicity seemed to fabricate every time she was near Oliver. The rest of the world faded away and nothing else mattered. Felicity felt her face warming up yet again, but she didn't want to hide what she felt for Oliver. She better used to people witnessing their PDA. Back home, she couldn't imagine them not touching or kissing around John, Roy, Thea, or Laurel. Surely, most of them would protest, but she didn't care.

"Stop ogling them, Misie!"

"Bah! Leave me alone, Stef. You were happy looking at them, too."

Felicity could help grinning at the look on the face of Stefanos as he said something in Greek to his sister, and she replied in kind. The siblings didn't seem capable stop irking each other. She was only child and never experienced that. She looked up at Oliver, and he seemed to be equally amused as her, but a tad nostalgic. No doubt thinking in Thea.

Artemisia and Stefanos exchanged some more words, which meaning was completely lost to Felicity. The first in surrender was Stefanos. With a deadpan expression on his face, he walked away from his baby sister and clapped Oliver's back. "Walk with me, my friend. Let's bring the lunch for the women, before I commit fratricide."

Oliver laughed. "Good idea, but I don't know who'll commit murder first, 'cause Misie looks like she's about to cut _your_ head off," he looked at Felicity. "Be right back," he gave her a quick kiss, and trailed after Stefanos.

Once Felicity and Artemisia were alone, the brunette exhaled sharply in frustration. "I love Stefanos, but some days I just want to strangle him. Do you have brothers, Felicity?

"No, not brothers or sisters. I'm only child."

"Then, you're lucky! You got no one telling you how to live your life."

"True, but sometimes I think I'd like to have one, even if he or she irritates me to death. With no sibling, you can get lonely."

"I guess there's pros and cons in how many sibling you have."

The conversation stopped when the bell on the door rang, announcing a new costumer. Or that's what Felicity thought. She glanced sideways to the door and saw a couple of men walking in. They were at least 6 feet 5 inches tall, and had masks over their faces. One of them held a gun in his hand.

She made few steps back with her hands up in a non-threatening attitude, until she hit the glass counter when the armed man got closer to them. It wasn't difficult to imagine what the guy pointing his 9mm to Artemisia was saying to her in his gruff and menacing voice.

They were robbing the store.

The second man stayed by the door, keeping an eye for cops, most likely.

Felicity grimaced at the bitter taste of impotence in her mouth. If Oliver was there he'd have taken down the robbers in less than a minute. She hated to see Misie nervously putting jewels and money in a bag. She was losing her daily sustain and the fruit of her magnificent labor. She wished so bad to be able to fight them.

Her sense of justice outmatched her common sense.

Remembering her self-defense training, first at college, and then down on the foundry with Diggle and Roy, Felicity didn't hesitate. When the big guy went to snatch her new beautiful necklace, she took her opportunity and attacked.

* * *

_**Just for you to know:**_

**Theé Mou!**: My God!

**Adelfós**: Brother.

**Gia tin agápi tou Theoú**: For the love of God.


	7. Chapter 7

_Thank you to the new readers/followers! I'm glad that my story is of your liking :) and to the all for coming back!_

_Don't want to talk too much today, so here I leave you the next chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

**CHAPTER 7**

On their way to the restaurant, that Stefanos had assured was the best in the area, Oliver was listening to his friend complaining about his sister. It seemed that nothing had changed much between the Spiteri siblings in the years Oliver hadn't seen them. They fought like cats and dogs all the time. But, in the end, they love each other deeply.

Their relationship reminded him a little his own with Thea. That's how he knew that, didn't matter how crazy they made one another, Stefanos and Artemisia would be there for each other, always.

The distinct popping sound of a gun being fired traveled through the air. The bang made Oliver stopped dead in his tracks. A bad feeling went through him. Beside him, Stefanos froze, too. "Did you hear that?"

"A gunshot."

Presumably having similar thoughts, both of them spun around and backed their footsteps, speeding up as the got near back to the store. The cold sting of fear went through Oliver when he saw the front window glass cracked, with a bullet hole in the center of it. All kinds of bleak thoughts raced through his mind. What if Felicity was hurt? Was she okay? Was Misie?

A masked man going out the store with something in his hand, snapped him out of the reverie. The man ran yelling and trampling the other people on the street, that were scurrying away from danger. Two seconds later, Felicity was out on the street yelling at the guy. Stefanos ran past Oliver to his sister that hung at the store entrance; he held her tight, while she told him in shaky voice what just happened.

Oliver caught up with Felicity and made her face him. "What are you doing? What happened? You ok?" he made a quick visual assessment of her condition. She seemed fine.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine. We're fine," Felicity grunted in frustration. "We just got robbed! And the guy is getting away!"

Oliver debated with himself. His instinct was split in half. A part was already coming with a plan of what was the easiest and the fastest way to catch the thief with the scarce knowledge he had about Kissamos streets. But the other part of him was demanding to stay with Felicity and make sure she was all right.

She knew him well. "Go! Get him! I'm fine. GO!"

He gave her a last look and urged her to go back to the store, before running after the robber. At first, he thought he had lost him. Then, he got a glimpse on the guy turning left at the corner on the block ahead.

Oliver cut path to the other side of the street through a parking lot. Now he had just a few feet between him and his prey. The man noticed that he was being followed and threw at Oliver all the things he came across with, in order to slow him down. Even the bag with the jewelry he had stolen.

But little that it did.

When both got to the next corner, Oliver caught up with the guy and pushed him against the hood of a parked car. Grunting and turning around, the man threw a wide punch at him. Oliver blocked it with ease, and responded in kind. First, he delivered a similar strike to the face with his right clenched hand, which it was equally dodged, then his left fist made contact with the guy's abdomen, making him double in pain and wheeze for air. Oliver didn't hesitate, he grabbed the man's head and lifted his knee to the robber's face, breaking his nose.

Stumbling backwards and bleeding, the guy cursed foully and eyed Oliver with malevolence. Apparently, a broken nose wasn't enough incentive to erode his will to fight.

Fine. If it was that what he wanted...

Oliver had a lot more to give him. Only thinking about the fright Felicity went through was enough to ignite the red fury inside him and the desire to beat him to a pulp. However the guy wasn't going to make things easier for Oliver. Out of nowhere, he drew out a knife from his pocket, and wielded in his hand.

"You don't want to do that," Oliver warned him in flawless Greek. "Drop it or you'll regret it."

The threatening tone of his voice seemed to have no effect on the guy, who lunged forward. Oliver intercepted the blow, grabbing his wrist with both hands. Then, punched him in the face, hitting him in the jaw this time. The force of the punch made the man whirl. Without missing a beat, Oliver threw another blow to the kidney.

Grunting, the thief wobbled away from Oliver, trying to get clear his senses. It took just a few seconds for the guy to attack again, harder and angrier this time. The deadly dance lasted some time, during which Oliver managed to avoid the sharp blade, but taking some punches. Nothing he couldn't handle, though. He was used to a lot worse than that.

Determined to beat the guy once for all and tired of this senseless fight, in the next attack, Oliver grabbed the man by the wrist and twisted the arm behind the man's back, making him groan in pain. Oliver gave a kick to back of the robber's knee, breaking ligaments and bone with a single blow.

A scream of agony followed... and with a clank, the knife fell to the sidewalk.

Just then Oliver let the man go, who slumped on the floor and writhed in pain.

"I told you you would regret it," Oliver said matter-of-factly.

The thief tried to go at him again, but the pain stopped him. He laid on the ground once more, panting.

It was then when the police arrived. Oliver didn't lift his eyes from the guy until he was handcuffed and taken into a patrol cruiser. The officers wanted to arrest him, too, but he explained the situation. Fortunately, they believed him.

It took a lot of time to get the cops to be satisfied with his statement. They continued going back to every detail Oliver provided. He began to get tired of it, so he suggested, "That's all I know, officer. Any other minutia I remember, I will let you know. Right now, I'd like to check my girlfriend and make sure she's okay."

Finally the police officer took pity on him, and even offered him a ride back to Misie's store. When the car pulled over, Oliver couldn't believe what he was seeing.

It seemed that the people, that had scattered before, returned, bringing a lot more with them. A considerable crowd had gathered around the police line. Several officers and detectives were working at the crime scene. Oliver scanned the multitude looking for Felicity, Misie or Stefanos, who were nowhere to be seen. He finally spotted Stefanos being interrogated by the police, but not the girls.

_Where are they?_

"Oliver!"

He pivoted around, following Misie's voice. The curvaceous brunette was standing next to 1 of the 2 ambulances on the scene. Between his worry for Felicity and Artemisia, and catching the son of the bitch, Oliver was ashamed of not thinking that might have been more people in the store at the time of the robbery. Had someone gotten hurt?

He shortened the distance to the ambulance in a couple of heartbeats. He put his hand on Misie's shoulder. She looked a bit shaken up. "Are you okay?"

She smiled weakly and nodded. "A little scared, but unharmed."

"Oliver, is that you? You're back! Thank God! I was getting worried. Did you catch the guy? What I'm saying? Of course you did. Your average of catching criminals always had been high. Only the really smart and lucky had escaped you. But just for a bit. In the end they always make a mistake and there you are to catch them."

Oliver's world shifted its axis when he realized that Felicity's voice was coming out of the ambulance. She was sitting on the gurney, while an EMT was dressing a wound on the back side of her left arm. "You told me you were fine," he said in a much sharper tone that he intended to.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, exasperated. "I am fine, Oliver. This is a little scratch that I didn't notice until you were long gone."

Even so, Oliver was livid. The paramedic released Felicity and Oliver helped her to go down off the ambulance. It was then when he noticed the growing bruise on her cheek. He gritted his teeth so hard that he was surprised that they didn't break into crumbles. He took her chin between his fingers and tilted her face to have a better look at it. "And that?"

"A mistake that _he_," Felicity looked past him at the other ambulance, where the second crook lay unconscious and cuffed to the gurney, "is paying already."

"You did that?"

"Is that pride I'm hearing?" she asked beaming.

"Yes, it's pride" among other things, like hard, cold terror, and the need to kill the man for daring to touch her. "I know how well you can take care of yourself," but he hated that, just because of it and more often than he'd like, she purposely put herself in harm's way.

"Felicity, you're so lucky," Artemisia said softly. Her voice was coated with jealousy. "Stefanos-, both of my brothers and my father actually, would have had a fit if I'd have done what you did!"

Felicity chuckled, and leaned slightly toward the woman, speaking in feign conspiracy tone. "Oh no, Misie. He is having it, can you see it in his eyes? It's just Oliver knows better than to speak out loud," she grinned at him. "Right, sweetie?"

He just growled, she was deliberately provoking him. Anything he say would be used against him. And he _did_ know better than that. Now more than ever when Felicity held total power of how good or bad could be his nights. His mother had raised no fool. "Either of you care to tell me what the hell happened in the store?"

"We were just talking," Felicity said, "when the 2 bastards got in the store with a gun in hand to rob Artemisia. To rob both of us!" she stroked gently her bare neck. "They took the necklace you gave me," she pouted.

Oliver took a deep breath, he knew where her story was going. He scratched his brow. "You resisted," it wasn't a question, just an accurate statement.

"You should've seen her, Oliver," Misie was almost getting back to her normal cheerful self again. "She waited for the right moment, and when that _atychí̱s_ was about snatch the necklace, she grabbed the hand with which he was holding the gun, and punched him. He bent down in pain, but he wouldn't let go the weapon. She fought like a pro, hit him several times, and even brought him to his knees, but at some point, he slapped her and pulled her down to the floor. He pointed the gun at her! I thought he was going to kill her!"

Misie's voice faltered remembering the event, still affected by it, and Oliver's heart stopped for several seconds, and his breath got caught in his lungs at that thought. Felicity put her soothing hands on his chest and waited until their gazes met. "That didn't happen. I'm okay."

The lightness with which Felicity was taking the matter end up breaking the thin reign of his anger. "You could've been seriously hurt!" _Or worse._

"But I didn't! I kicked the giant bastard in his jewels and knocked the gun out his hand. That's when it went off," Felicity turned to Artemisia, looking contrite. "Sorry, never was my intention to break your window."

"Oh! Felicity, don't worry about it! Without you they'd have robbed me and who knows what else! You're my hero! I can't believe you knocked out a guy that size!"

Oliver couldn't suppress a groan. He knew Felicity's obsession to be a hero. He only prayed that Misie's words wouldn't encourage her to pursue that desire of hers that he feared so much. What Felicity didn't seem to grasp was that, in Oliver's book, she was already a hero without the need to have a physical confrontation. The fact that she used her genius computer skills, and gave everything of herself to help others made her a hero.

"Oh, it's easy, if you know where and how to hit. And I did kinda saved the day, didn't I? Even I have the scar to prove it. Someone should give me a hero cookie."

His anger kept growing and growing. Oliver clenched his jaw hard until it hurts, and fisted his hands, in a desperate attempt to control his growing irritation. "Fe-li-ci-ty."

"Oliver, don't. I hate when you use that tone with me."

"What tone is that? The tone of reason?"

"If there's someone who's pigheaded here is you. It doesn't make sense to me why you get so mad when I get to be the hero. If I didn't knew you so well, I'd say that you're jealous. But I know it has to be more to troglodyte thinking than anything else. And we better stop this right here. I don't want to fight with you."

She tried to walk away from him, he couldn't allow that. She needed to understand his motivations. He grabbed her face and looked her in the eyes. "Dammit, Felicity," she lifted a brow, taken aback for the mild profanity. He seldom used foul language with her, didn't matter how angry he was. But, at that moment, his emotions raged inside him. That should've told her how shaken up he was. "Why can't you see it's not because you're a woman or you can't take of yourself. You've proven that already, and I couldn't be more proud."

As on cue, the unconscious man on the ambulance started to come to his senses, groaning in pain.

"What bothers me is that you can't see that without you my whole world ends. I've endured hell and then some more. You know that. What I cannot survive, it's if something happens to you. You die and they'll have to dig 2 graves, because I can't- I won't live without you."

Felicity cover his hands with hers. "In the farfetched possibility that I die, which will not happen until we're gray and old, and with a lot of grandkids to spoil rotten, of course you will survive. And you'll do it not for me, I'll be dead, so I won't care... well, I'll care, only that me being dead, you won't know if I care or not... But for _you_, Oliver. You got to do it for yourself. You deserve to be happy. Promise me you'll do that?"

"I don't make promises that I can't keep."

She raised her hands and fisted them, as if she resisted the urge to strangle him with her bare hands. "Oliver!"

"No, Felicity! You're the one who taught me to trust, to love, to be happy again. You're the light in my dark world. I'm lost without you."

Letting out a calming breath, she said, "I got no intentions to leave you any time soon, just so you know, but let's say... I promise I won't do the hero thing again -and I'm not saying I will-, would you do the same?"

"What?"

"You heard right. What makes you think that you're the only one who fears to be alone in this world? How do you think I get when you go out every night not knowing if you'll get back in one piece? Do I have to remind you that you already have died on me once? I got a pretty good idea of how I'd feel, if you die for real! And this whole trip is the way I found to keep from dying again, in fact. Did you forget that?"

"It's not the same!"

"Seriously, Oliver?! How?"

"You got an inner strength that I lack. I know that, if I die, eventually you'll move on. I want you to. You deserve to have a happy life."

"So do you!" the _'idiot'_ was left unsaid, but Oliver heard it loud and clear. As unmistakable as the slap she gave him on the chest. Not hard; just forceful enough to get his full attention. "I don't know why are so fixated in the wrong thing. Nobody knows when they're going to die. Could be dying as a hero or simply due a bad fall in the bathroom. When is your time to go, it's your time. What matters is what we do before the time comes."

Oliver wrapped his arms around Felicity and held her tight, afraid to let her go. She hugged him as hard, leaving small kisses in the hollow of his neck. "Don't waste your time on the things you can't control. Instead, make every waking moment unforgettable; so unique that will be imprinted in the memories of those you share them with."

Oliver growled softly. "I hate it," he grumbled.

"Hate what?"

Felicity pulled away from him and put her hand on his jaw. Unable to resist, Oliver leaned his head at the contact, and put his own hand over hers. Savoring the contact, he closed his eyes. "Hate that you get to me so easily," he grabbed her hand on his face and kissed her palm. "Nobody puts sense into me like you do."

She smiled. "That means... you're saying that I'm right?"

"Sometimes," he groaned.

"Like now?"

"Yes. Like, now."

A sweet kiss on the lips was his reward for conceding to her reasoning. "If you worry so much for my safety when I'm not with you, why don't you teach me some of your master moves? Train me!"

"What? No!"

"Why not? Wouldn't you be more at peace knowing for sure that I can handle myself in a fight?"

"Don't even think about it, Felicity. I'm not going to train you. Forget it!"

"Fine. Don't do it," by the way she shrugged and her sickeningly sweet singsong voice, he knew she was plotting something and he wasn't going to like it. "When we get back to Starling city, I'll ask Ted if I can go to his gym. Laurel says he was great with her," Felicity's face brightened when a new idea crossed her mind. "Ooh, or better yet! I'll ask her if she can talk to Nyssa, for her to train me, too! Nyssa scares me a little... actually, a lot. I'm a firm believer that she can kill with a simple stare... but she really knows how to kick anyone's ass."

Oliver was appalled by that idea. He actually thought he was going to be sick because of it. "No, you won't."

"Excuse me?!"

Oliver didn't need to hear her shrill to know the fight was back on, the hostile expression on her face was enough. But he didn't care, if she was angry, he was angrier. "You've gone crazy if you think I'm gonna let Nyssa to be with you in the same room alone for more than 2 seconds."

"You're forgetting something, Mr. Queen. I'm not asking for your permission or approval. This is my life, my choice!"

"Felicity!"

"Don't 'Felicity' me. I'm a grown woman, very capable of taking my own decision. And nobody, not even you, had the right to say otherwise. I gave you the choice to be the one teaching me, you turned me down. I wanna do this for you. I'm making an effort to ease your worries about me, to give you some peace of mind, but obviously you like to be stressed out, not matter what," she shook her head. "I can't do nothing about that."

Oliver closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. With a slow exhalation, he let go his anger and fear... or tried to, more accurately. He made the conscious effort of relaxing his fisted hands, before he opened his eyes again. Felicity was nowhere near him. He pivoted around searching her with his eyes until he found her walking toward Stefanos and Artemisia, who gave them some privacy, all you can get in the a street full of people, and strolled away in the middle of their argument.

He fell in line behind the blonde who was destroying his sanity. By the stiffness of her walking and by the way her ponytail was swinging from one side to the other, he could tell that her anger toward him hadn't diminished a single bit. He could predict with complete certainty that his night was going to be long, cold, and lonely.

Just when he needed the most to feel her close and safe in his arms.

Felicity got first to the Spiteris. As soon as she did, Misie put a comforting hand on the blonde's uninjured arm, talking to her in whispers, while sending daggers with her eyes at him over Felicity's shoulder.

If stares could kill, he'd have dropped dead on the street right at that moment. He was ill at ease that Felicity was fuming about him, but he gave a damned what everybody else said. He only wanted to protect her, to be sure that no harm came upon her.

It was that so hard to understand?

In an attempt to ease some of the obvious tension in the air, Stefanos asked Oliver the favor of taking his sister home. "What about my store?" the brunette interjected.

"I'll stay until the police is gone, but you should go home, Misie. There's no need for you being here anymore. The police has your statement, and any other detail they need, I can provide it. You're shaken up, and you should call Papas; I'm sure he's worried sick."

"Why would he be worried when he knows nothing of what happened?"

Stefanos stared at his sister, as if the answer was obvious. "You're forgetting that father has spies everywhere. He knows."

"Oh, yes. There's that," she said in flat voice, less than thrilled about it.

"Call him."

After a short adieu, with the promise that Oliver and Felicity would visit the Spiteris at home before returning to America, the trio parted. Oliver wasn't included much in the conversation between the women all the way to the car, and the ride back. Honestly, he wasn't in talkative mood. His emotions were still too raw and probably he would end saying the wrong thing again, igniting Felicity's anger even more.


	8. Chapter 8

My dearies!

I'm alive and I've not abandoned you, I swear! Rather my muse abandoned _me_! This chapter is a lot shorter than the latest ones, but it's all I could do. I know it has been a while since I updated the fic and I didn't want you you think I was giving up on this story.

No, no, no, no, no! That won't happen, I promise! You can help me throwing some ideas at me. Is there something you want happening? All prompts are welcome.

Oops! This chapter is short AND angsty, sorry :S

* * *

**Previously on Greek Escapade:**

_...I did kinda saved the day, didn't I? Even I have the scar to prove it. Someone should give me a hero cookie." _

_His anger kept growing and growing. Oliver clenched his jaw hard until it hurts, and fisted his hands, in a desperate attempt to control his growing irritation. "Fe-li-ci-ty." _

_"Oliver, don't. I hate when you use that tone with me." _

_"What tone is that? The tone of reason?" _

_"If there's someone who's pigheaded here is you. It doesn't make sense to me why you get so mad when I get to be the hero. If I didn't knew you so well, I'd say that you're jealous. But I know it has to be more to troglodyte thinking than anything else. And we better stop this right here. I don't want to fight with you."..._

**# # # # #**

_... "If you worry so much for my safety when I'm not with you, why don't you teach me some of your master moves? Train me!" _

_"What? No!" _

_"Why not? Wouldn't you be more at peace knowing for sure that I can handle myself in a fight?" _

_"Don't even think about it, Felicity. I'm not going to train you. Forget it!" _

_"Fine. Don't do it," by the way she shrugged and her sickeningly sweet singsong voice, he knew she was plotting something and he wasn't going to like it. "When we get back to Starling city, I'll ask Ted if I can go to his gym. Laurel says he was great with her," Felicity's face brightened when a new idea crossed her mind. "Ooh, or better yet! I'll ask her if she can talk to Nyssa, for her to train me, too! Nyssa scares me a little… actually, a lot. I'm a firm believer that she can kill with a simple stare… but she really knows how to kick anyone's ass." _

_Oliver was appalled by that idea. He actually thought he was going to be sick because of it. "No, you won't." _

_"Excuse me?!"..._

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

Once Felicity and Oliver were alone in the car, after dropping Missie at her house, a heavy silence set on the air. Felicity stared out the window, looking at nothing and sighing constantly. She was aware that Oliver glanced at her from time to time, taking turns with her in doing the same, but their eyes never met.

The awkward silence gave her some time to think about what Oliver had said to her. Felicity hated that he tried to make a decision for her, but she couldn't fault him in his honest intentions. She knew how much he worried about her. He was only trying to do what he thought was the best for her. Even if that was just stupid.

"I don't _want_ Nyssa to teach me," she said tired of the quietness, but still looking away from him. "I'd rather to be _you_ the one doing it. You know that, right?"

"Please, Felicity. Let's not start this discussion again."

She turned in her seat to face him. "Oliver, I don't want to argue with you, either. Just tell me why you are opposing so much to the idea of me learning some new self-defense moves. I don't get it."

His hands tightened around the steering wheel, his knuckles protruding sharply against his skin. For a full minute, she thought he wouldn't answer her. When he did, he spoke with a calm, that the rest of his body was saying he wasn't feeling. "If now with basic training you get in all the kind of trouble, I flinch thinking in those you're gonna get into when you know learn more advanced maneuvers."

"I'm not going through life looking for trouble!"

"No, they just find you."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you."

"And getting hurt doesn't suit you."

Felicity groaned softly. "That's exactly why I want to improve my self-defense. I don't want to get hurt either. And if what worries you is this tiny little thing, don't," she removed the dressing over her wound, "I don't even know why the bandage. Last month I cut myself in the kitchen, the wound was deeper and bigger and I didn't even used a Band-Aid. I think the EMT was only trying to make it look worse at the eyes of the police, so they were harder on the thieves."

Oliver let lose a hand off the steering wheel and caressed her arm near the half-of-inch-long cut. His oh so tender touch left goose bumps on its wake. Even when she was mad at him, his hands on her skin had the wickedest effect on Felicity. Oliver ran his fingers down her arm to her hand, then he entangled his fingers with hers. "It kills me that I wasn't there with you to protect you."

"Oliver, stop obsessing about it," she trapped Oliver's hand between both of hers and squeezed reassuringly. "You know you can't be 24/7 with me. And I told you, I'm not planning to leave you any time soon. So breathe and relax."

She was glad to see him following her advice. His shoulders relaxed as he exhaled a long breath. Silence fell between them again for the rest of the way, but not as heavy as before. It was more a time they both used to ponder what they had on their heads.

By the time they got to the house, night had fallen. Felicity hadn't realized how much time had passed since they went out that morning. She completely lost track of time. Now she understood why she was so tired and hungry. With all the events today, they had skipped lunch. And between the high and drop of adrenaline that the theft incident and the fight with Oliver gave her, she was famished. She needed a lot of comfort food, forgetting the calories that would come with it.

Falling into a quite domestic dance, they made dinner and ate in silence. After she washed and Oliver dried the dishes, Felicity was ready to go sleep. "Good night," she said, caressing his arm and walking pass him.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to stop. "You're not staying with me tonight, are you?"

Oliver's sad voice succeeded in wringing her heart. Even so, she was determined to hold her ground. Felicity wasn't going to cave in before his ridiculous argument. She had walked halfway, now he needed to do the same.

"Nope. A night apart will do well for both of us. We," meaning: he, "will have time to think things through."

Felicity knew Oliver wasn't happy with the sleeping arrangement, and to tell the truth, neither did she. However, she wouldn't change her mind. Reluctantly, she let go his hand. "Sleep tight," she whispered, before going upstairs. After a much needed shower, she climbed on the bed. In spite of being exhausted, sleep eluded her. She twisted and turned under the sheets, feeling uncomfortable. In less than a week, she had gotten used to have Oliver's chest as a pillow, and his arms as a blanket.

Now, she felt alone and cold.

Huffing, she knocked her fist against the mattress. "Go to sleep, Smoak. You've been sleeping alone most of your life. One night on this bed won't kill you."

She rolled over to her left side and closed her eyes.

Many hours passed until exhaustion finally beat her and fell asleep.

**# # # # #**

After dinner and Felicity left him alone, Oliver didn't feel like it to go to bed... a bed impregnated with her scent. Things were bad enough, to add another torture in his lonely night.

At some level, he was mad at Felicity for denying him the solace he had found sleeping in the same bed together. His sleep in the last few days had been the best he had in 9 years. The bad dreams weren't as frequent as before, but he still was haunted by the memories of the years he had been away.

To his surprise, not even a single nightmare had plagued his rest in the days they had slept in the same bed. Felicity's presence had kept his demons away.

However, he was sure that the nightmares would return that night with a vengeance.

The other part of him recognized that Felicity _might_ have a valid point in her argument, and she was rightfully entitled to be mad at him. She had walked half way in order to ease his worries, he was so grateful to her for it. She always knew what he needed, and did everything in her power to provide it to him. He was well aware of it. Oliver loved her more because of that.

Yet, for much that he tried, he was finding really hard to travel the path Felicity wanted him to. It went against his instinct. She didn't seem to understand that every cell in him was clamoring him to do everything to avert danger from her. For him, it was something even more necessary than breathing.

Not wanting to face an empty bed and his nightmares just yet, Oliver splayed himself on the couch, took the remote, and turned the TV on.

It was many hours later, while watching season 5 of Game of Thrones marathon, that fatigue beat him. He fought to keep his eyes open, but it was futile. Before he knew it, he was in Morpheus' realm.

It was the crack of dawn when he woke up with a start, almost falling off the couch. His forehead was damp from perspiration, his eyes were wild and panicked as he struggled to breathe. It took him a moment to recognize his whereabouts, and realized that he had a nightmare. For the first time, his memories had taken an unexpected turn. Rather than to continue as it usually did, Felicity appeared in this particular bad dream.

Oliver was in a cold, dark cell, hung up by his wrists, with his body covered in blood. He brushed the floor with his toes. His arms and shoulders ached from supporting all his weight, but not as much as the rest of his mauled body. Every laborious breath was agony. There was no doubt that his ribs were broken. His jaw could be likewise or, at least, seriously bruised. His legs were in no good condition, either. His right eye was completely shut, while the left one was really swollen. It hurt every time he blinked.

Still, what gave him more agony was the burn in his lower back. The smell of singed skin made him sick and would be forever imprinted in his nostrils. The dream would end when his torturers taking the blowtorch again and nearing the flame to his flesh. He would wake up, usually screaming, having a vivid remembrance of the pain.

This time around, his tormentors did something much worse. They brought Felicity, handcuffed and manhandled, into the cell and threatened to hurt her, instead.

"Oh, God! Oliver!" she wept. "What have they done to you?"

Felicity's tears were unbearable to him. Oliver went crazy. Paying no heed to the pain that caused him, he tried to grab any of the guards with his legs, but they were at a safe distance from him. He tried to get his hands loose, but the only thing he accomplished was to make his wrists bleed even more. The guard holding Felicity tightened his grip on her and put a knife to her neck, when she tried to escape and make her way to Oliver. "Let. Her. Go," he growled. "If you hurt her, I'm gonna kill you!"

"How do you'll do that, hmm?" the guards closer to him teased. "I'm not sure you can walk."

Oliver had his doubts as well. By the salvage way they had kicked him wouldn't be a surprise, if he had his knee crippled. But, that wasn't going to stop him to snap their necks, if they didn't let Felicity go, unharmed. "Release me, and find out," he hissed, defiant.

For once, his desire was fulfilled, which corroborated his suspicion. When the chain holding him upright was released, his mangled legs gave up under his weight and he fell to the ground unceremoniously. The agony assaulting his entire body left him breathless for a whole minute, before he could move without screaming. Then, he looked up, narrowing his eyes onto Felicity and the guard behind her.

"Let. Her. Go," he repeated.

"Or what?"

"You're dead," he promised.

The guards howled in laughter, unimpressed by his temerarious declaration. They shouldn't have. The second they got distracted, Oliver struggled to get on his feet and rushed against them. He hit the nearest one to him with enough force to trip him backwards, and send him crashing into his partner. In the collision, the knife flew through the air and landed harmlessly on the filthy ground, and Felicity ended up free.

"Run! Get out of here!" Oliver pleaded her, while he fought both of his captors with everything he got, in order to give Felicity the chance to escape.

But it wasn't enough. He was too hurt, too weak, to defeat his opponents. They easily overpowered him. While one guard had him under control pinned to the floor, the other turned to Felicity, who had hesitated in escaping and leave him there.

She struggled when the man seized her. "Let go of me!"

It seemed that her struggles amused greatly the guard, until she tried to knee his groin. "Fucking bitch!" he backhanded her, and split her lip. Unbalanced by the blow, she fell back to the ground. "Now I'm gonna teach you." Felicity was dragged by her hair, screaming and fighting, to the back of the cell, where shadows rife. Oliver couldn't see what was happening. He tried to get to her, to push the bastard away from her, but he was completely helpless to do anything to help her. A heart-rending scream of agony coming from Felicity was what pulled him out of the dream.

Now, he was sitting with his elbows popped on his knees and his head down, his fingers interlocked at his nape, trying to come to terms with the fact that nothing bad had happened to Felicity. It had been all a dream. She never had been in a Greek prison, much less, in that cell with him.

_She's fine. She's in bed, sleeping. She's all right_.

The litany, that he repeated in his head over and over, wasn't able to shake the uneasiness stuck in his chest. The words weren't enough to erase the images flashing again into his head. His fear would only subside when he made himself 100 per cent sure she was safe. And there was only one way to do that. He headed to the stairs, taking 2 and 3 steps at the time. He couldn't get to her fast enough.

But when he got to her room and saw her, through the glass wall, that she was sound asleep in her bed, he paused. She rolled over in bed facing him, having pleasant dreams perhaps. There was no need to disturb her rest, not really. He knew she was okay. If he wake her up, he would upset her and would stir her curiosity. Oliver wasn't sure if he was prepared to tell her about the nightmare. Not now, maybe not ever.

He didn't stay much time there watching her sleep. He was beyond restless to linger without doing anything. He could feel the memories trying to come surface again. He needed to occupy himself with something, before he became prey of his past.

He walked away, with a heavy heart.

* * *

**AN**: You can find me on Tumblr as **stygian-omada-fan**, where you can talk to me about anything (especially if you have a prompt for me). I'm also on Twitter as **Olicity_Fics**, where I recommend the fanfics that I like and tweet anything Olicity/Arrow related.

Wherever you follow me, I'll follow back.


	9. Chapter 9

_Good news, my dearies! The muse is back! (Hopes don't leaves again)_

_Anyway... I was inspired and I wrote new chapter :) My intentions were to end it with sweet/fluffy/smutty feels but the unicorns disagreed with me... they didn't want to make up just yet. I should say sorry for the angst coming ahead but I'm not. So...*evil laugh* Oh c'mon! You guys love angst!_

_Here you go. Happy reading!_

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

When Felicity opened her eyes in the morning, the sun was up, but she could tell it was still early. She tried to go back to sleep, but it eluded her, just like the night before. So she decided to get up and have a long conversation with Oliver. She wanted to resolve their issues once for all. She wasn't eager to spend another day, miserable like that.

When she went downstairs, she found out he wasn't in the house. He had left her a note, saying he would be back later.

She admonished herself for the immediate concern she felt. Oliver was a big boy, who could take care of himself and was free to do whatever he wanted. Even so, worry for him was set in her heart. It wasn't like him to be so cryptic in his notes. Usually, he let her know where he was going and when he'd be back. Not this time, though.

Sometime later, she was sitting on the large couch in the outdoor lounge, with a steamy cup of coffee in one hand, and her tablet on her lap. She very well could use the time to take a look at her email, and check the guys on Starling City. By the time difference, they should be beginning their nightly activities. John, Roy, and Thea had enough expertise using her tracking, and face recognition software, but a hand from her wouldn't hurt them.

She made a video call, being Thea the one who answered. "So, the love birds finally got out of nest, huh?"

"Excuse me?"

"Finally, my brother lets you get out of bed... or is it that you left him so spent that you could sneak out of it?"

"Thea!"

"What?" she said innocently, "Oh, Felicity? Who do you think you're kidding? Please, tell me if I'm right or not, I'd like to collect a wager."

"Can't believe you're betting on my sex life... On your brother's!"

"Oh, C'mon, Fel! Don't get mad. I don't mean harm. And you and my big brother don't fool anybody. Everybody knows _how_ you're having fun in your vacations."

It was true, and Felicity was aware of it. It was no secret to anyone in the Team Arrow the feelings that she and Oliver had for each other.

"I'm not saying anything, and neither should you. You realize that if you piss me off I got ways to destroy your life, right?"

"What would you do? You're miles away from here."

"You're forgetting that I'm a bitch with Wi-Fi. It wouldn't take me more than a few clicks here and there to cancel all your credit cards," Felicity's sweet inflexion didn't lessen the truth or the threat behind her words. "You know, the ones which you use to go shopping."

Thea's shocked face was clear on the screen, "don't you dare! Would you that to me?!"

"Keep talking and you'll find out."

"Fine! I'll drop the topic," she conceded, with palpable reluctance.

Felicity smiled sweetly at her. "Thank you."

Since Oliver had finally let Thea in the secret of his alter ego, Felicity and she had become close. Felicity was glad to have someone to talk to about things that weren't exclusively work related. Any of her two jobs. Both of them often did shopping therapy sessions or spent a few hours at a spa. In those moments, Felicity didn't have to worry about a slip about what she did at night in one of her infamous babbling fits. Thea was turning in the sister she never had.

Their conversation changed to more heroic topics. Thea told Felicity that Roy, John, and Laurel had gone out that night after a pitiful drug dealer who was trying to gain status in The Glades. Felicity helped Thea to get a more precise image of the location where the drug lord wannabe was.

After the mission was done successfully, Thea tried again to pry what Felicity and Oliver were doing in _their_ nights. She only stopped when Felicity threatened again. With the promise that Felicity would make Oliver call his sister later that day, Felicity said good bye to Thea.

As soon as she cut off the video call, she got a new one. This time from Palmer Technologies.

**##############**

December sun in the Mediterranean island was far more merciful than it was on summer. Oliver was grateful for that. Yet, he knew he probably was sunburned. He ran for hours under the bright sun and clear skies without any skin protection. When he got out the house that morning his only objective has been to purge his oppressive memories out of him by running to exhaustion.

He achieved the exhausting part. He was drenched in sweat from head to toe, the pain in his legs was excruciating -he barely could put feet in front of the other-, and his lungs ached due the arduous work they were subjected. He was so tired that he could climb onto his bed and sleep for 3 days in a row. Still, he wouldn't do that. He couldn't do that. The purge of his venomous thoughts left a lot to be desired. The memory of his brutal stay on the Greek prison all those years ago was still on the surface of his consciousness. The feeling of helplessness left by the nightmare that awoke him early in the morning didn't disappear. It was very well trapped in his chest.

But he couldn't run for eternity. At some point, he had to come back to the house. Even if that meant having the pending conversation with Felicity. Oliver wasn't eager to deal with that, particularly, but couldn't avoid it forever.

As soon as he entered into the house, his senses focused on finding Felicity's whereabouts. What hit him first was the lingering scent of morning coffee in the air. That alerted him that she was already awake. Then, the whisper of her voice got to his ears, she appeared to be talking to someone. Oliver didn't know to whom she could be talking to until he recognized the person. The faint murmur of her interlocutor was low and cheerful. A voice that could belong only to one man... Ray Palmer.

Oliver's bad day immediately became worse. At that very moment, he didn't have the patience or the emotional stability to deal with Palmer. Oliver knew that he wasn't able to control his inner jealousy monster when his mood was so volatile.

Besides... Why the hell was Ray doing there? Felicity was on vacation. With him!

Speeding up his steps, Oliver followed the voices. But he came to a halt at the sliding doors that gave access to the pool. Felicity was by the sofa outside. There was no one with her. She was talking at the tablet in her hands. Oliver realized she was in a video call. At least, Palmer wasn't there in the flesh. His intrusion via the web was not less annoying, though.

Oliver was pulled out of his angry reverie by Felicity's laughter. She cracked up out loud at something Ray said. She always had been beautiful to him, but seeing her with such bright expression on her face, she was absolutely breathtaking.

In other circumstances, Oliver would have enjoyed the view of the woman he loved in one of her more splendorous sights, with the morning sun highlighting her blonde curls. However, the monster inside him roared in fury. He wanted to be the one who makes Felicity so happy. He wanted her laughing with him. Oliver's conscious reminded him that it was he who had angered her the day before, but the green monster ignored that. It didn't matter.

The irrational part of him wanted Ray's blood in his hands. In contrast, the civilized, wise part of him knew how big a mistake that was. Any over-jealous, testosterone-driven action from his part would only end up in a pissed-off Felicity that, more likely than not, would use her loud voice with him.

And he needed to appease and apologize to her to go back to her good grace. That was the only way he knew to soothe his troubled soul and heart.

He needed her.

He opened the door with every intention of going to her, but he froze when he heard the next words coming out her mouth, "Can't believe you're leaving me, Ray." Long gone was the joyous Felicity of a few minutes before. She exuded a sincere sadness, which reached all the way to where Oliver was standing.

_Ray was leaving her? _

Oliver tuned out everything around him, while his brain worked in overdrive. He needed to find a meaning to those words that wasn't the one his jealousy was leading him to believe. He was well aware of her tendency to say unintentional innuendos. Most of the time he loved those in secret. They were amusing as hell, and maddening to the extreme. It took only one double entrendre aimed at him to have his head reeling all day long.

Now, he was afraid it weren't unintentional words, and somehow things between Felicity and Ray were a lot more serious than he knew.

Again, his conscience spoke and reminded him that she would never lie to him about something like that. Ray and Felicity had pulled the pin months ago. She would never cheat on him or anybody. He wanted to believe it. But the mess in his head was making hard to think straight. Taking a deep breath, Oliver stepped back into the house. He had to put his thoughts in order and his jealousy into submission before talking to Felicity.

He was afraid that in the turmoil he was in that conversation wasn't going to end well. And that's the last thing he wanted.

**############**

Felicity saw movement with the corner of her eyes. Turning her head toward the house, she saw Oliver walking away. Relief came upon her, he was home.

"Hey Ray?" she looked back at the screen of her tablet. Dark and handsome, the radiant face of her boss and dear friend had undivided attention to something he was working on. Without a doubt, it was something related to the A.T.O.M suit. He was always working on it. "Can I call you later? There something I need to do now."

"Yeah, sure."

"But you won't leave Starling City before I get back, right?"

Felicity had mixed feeling about that. Ray was opening a subsidiary of PT across the country, in Civic City. For what she understood, he was leaving her in charge in Starling while he dedicated himself to expand his business. It was an awesome opportunity for her to run the company, but she couldn't help feeling the ache in her heart. She was going to miss him dearly. He meant a lot to her.

He grinned, "Don't worry, Felicity. I'll be here. I'll be moving out by the end of January."

That was something. At least, she would have the opportunity of saying farewell, face to face. She said good bye for the moment, left her tablet aside and went inside the house. She found Oliver in the kitchen drinking water. All her thoughts froze thanks to the magnificent view of his bare back at her when she laid her eyes on him. His skin was kissed by the sun, giving it a beautiful and delectable tan. The craving to lick his taut muscles struck her hard and desire ran like wildfire in her veins. Yet, the thick tension on the air prevented that her lust overwhelmed her.

"Hey, you're back. Where did you go?"

"To run."

Well, that explained why he was all sweaty. Felicity frowned at Oliver, while he continued giving her his back, and his words had a curt edge in them. "Are you okay? You seem a bit tense."

"Yes, I'm fine." with a quick cold glance at her, Oliver walked away.

Unable to believe his attitude, Felicity followed him. "Oliver, wait. What's the matter with you? You can't possibly… be mad at me… because I didn't sleep with you last night, right?"

"I don't know what you are talking about. I'm fine." he said, but she didn't believe a word of it.

"No, you're not. You can't lie to me. You are angry at me. I know you."

"No, I'm not mad... At you,"

"If not at me, then who? Something happened?" she got closer to him, wanting to soothe him. She stretched her hand to touch him. Before she did, he stepped back. Felicity could not believe him. Neither the pain brought by that single action. His rejection hurt… a lot.

"What did Palmer want?" Oliver demanded.

"Excuse me? What does Ray got to do with your bad mood?"

"You were taking to him, weren't you?"

"Yes, but…" Her eyebrow went north. "Seriously, Oliver? You can't be possibly jealous."

"Don't be ridiculous, Felicity. I'm not!"

Felicity deadpanned. "You're aware that your lying skills hadn't improved that much. The only one you're fooling is yourself."

"I'm not jealous, Felicity!"

She was trying to remain calm, to keep things civilized. She really didn't want to use her loud voice, but Oliver and his stubbornness weren't going to make it easy for her. "Fine! If you're not jealous, then, would you care to explain me why are you so furious that I was talking with him? He's my boss, I don't know if you remember."

"As your boss, Palmer should know that he can't bother you in your vacations."

"Well, it happens that he's also my friend! That gives him the right to call anytime he wants!"

"He isn't calling as your friend, or your boss, Felicity. He's still in love with you!"

"So what?!"

Oliver huffed, incredulous, "He should respect that you don't feel the same way! Or is it that you—"

"That I what, Oliver?! Finish that sentence, I dare you! You think so lowly of me that even when it's been just a few days since I finally told you my feelings for you. You think I'm so bitch to be with 2 men at the same time?! Is that it, isn't it?!"

At least, Oliver had the decency of looking ashamed. However, that angered her more. He was actually thinking that about her. It hurt her deeply that he even was considering the possibility that he was capable of cheating. To cheat on him!

"Felicity, I'm sor—"

"No! Don't wanna hear it! I don't wanna hear from you until you get that hard head of yours out of your ass!"

Felicity pivoted around, she needed to walk away before things got worse. She was a step from grabbing her things and return to Starling by herself. Heartache was the last thing she wanted in her vacations. Oliver tried to stop her but she cut him off. "I need some air."

She walked away from him.


	10. Chapter 10

_My lovelies!_

_Here I bring you the longest chapter yet, over 5500-words-long. I hope this compensate you for all the misery I've put you through the last couple of chapters. At the beginning it may not seem like thing are getting better. But I promise, they will._

_I hope you like it. Happy reading!_

PS: I took inspiration while I was writing from the following playlist:

***I didn't mean it** by The Belle Brigade.  
***Same Mistake** by James Blunt.  
***Need you now** by Lady Antebellum.  
***Broken** by Seether.  
***Brand New Day** by Forty Foot Echo.  
***Guiding Light** by Muse.  
***I Belong To You** by Muse.

* * *

**CHAPTER 10**

It happened exactly what he didn't want to. There was nobody else to blame but himself. Oliver knew he made a huge mistake giving free rein to his jealousy. Saying those things that were only the product of his putrid imagination. Things that he didn't really believe. Seeing the hurt in Felicity's eyes had snapped him out of his stupidity, but it was already too late. The damage was done.

He should be downstairs in his knees begging for forgiveness, instead of pacing back and forward like a caged lion in his room. Yet, he was terrified to go down there. Last time, when Felicity walked away from him needing some air and he followed, she told him she didn't want to be the woman he loves. That hurt a hundred times more than a sword impaled through his stomach.

That had been only because he was teaming up with Merlyn. He didn't dare to think what she would say to him now. Was she cursing the day they met? Probably. Was she thinking about returning home? He hoped not, but she most likely was.

He wouldn't blame her if she did.

All of that was increasing the myriad of feelings assaulting him. Most likely, he was leaving an impression on the wooden floor, pacing the same path around his room over and over. The surface might not be happy with the treatment he was giving it, but it was preferable to giving in to the fury devouring him inside. What he wanted to do was to smash everything down, including beating himself to a pulp for being so stupid.

His stomach churned in dread as he collapsed onto the edge of his bed. He massaged the back of his neck to ease the tension. He had no idea of how to make things right. But he had to do something.

Coming to a decision that he couldn't get away from his problems, first, he took a very cold shower. The chilly spring helped to wash away the last remains of his jealousy and temper. Behind were leaving the guilt and shame. Those feelings weren't less powerful than the others were but, at least, he knew how to deal much better with them. He had passed the last decade of his life feeling them every day.

Then, he went downstairs. It was time to take the bull by the horns. His first destination: to go outside, apologize, and make it count. Felicity was in the same place she was when he got home, this time watching intently to the vast ocean in front of the house and with earplugs in her ears. When Oliver came closer, he could hear the soft, rhythmic beat of a song playing on her tablet. He made a wide walk to her, giving her time to sense his presence. The loud music probably was drowning the sound of his footsteps. He didn't want to starlet her to death.

His plan worked, she didn't jump when he entered to her line of vision. The downside: she completely ignored his presence. It was as if to Felicity, he didn't exist, much less standing right in front of her. She stayed there, with her eyes focused on the deep sea. "Can we talk?" Oliver begged, sitting on the coffee table. Probably she couldn't hear his voice, but his intent to talk to her was clear. "Please, Felicity, I owe you an apology," he insisted when she continued deliberately ignoring him.

At its own volition, Oliver's hand traveled through the air. He wanted- needed the physical connection with Felicity. It was something that always had soothed him. From the very start since they met, those little touches here and there, were precious to him. As the years passed, the intimacy of the touch grew. The initial innocent contact became an expression of everything, the feelings and dreams, which they didn't dare to put into words.

Right at that moment, he needed to know the most that, even when Felicity was beyond mad at him, he didn't screw things up to irreparable level. However, she didn't give him a reprieve. She emulated what he did to her earlier. Before his fingers could touch her arm, she pulled it away.

He couldn't help but cringed at her rejection, and at the daggers she threw him with her beautiful eyes. "Don't," she growled. That's all he got from her, she went back to ignore him.

He knew her well enough to know when she wasn't going to cave in any time soon. Acknowledging the momentary defeat, with a heavy sigh, Oliver left her alone. He needed to find another way in.

While Felicity was determined to give him the cold treatment, he was even more determined to make her listen. He only needed her to hear him out for 5 minutes. That's all he was asking. A new plan came to his mind. He knew Felicity; he knew how she used to deal with anger and stress. He could use that in his favor.

He never thought he was ever to use her weakness against her, yet there was nothing he wouldn't do to keep her at his side. He wouldn't let her go easily. Not now.

He prepared a fantastic lunch, with everything she liked. He made vegetarian crepes, crab rissole, and _Kourabiedes_, typical Greek Christmas butter cookies, she loved so much the first time she ate them. The landlady made a special batch without any kind of nuts, just for them.

Felicity surprised him, appearing at the door that gave access to the backyard and pool, when he was finishing setting the table. Surely, the scent of his cooking awoke her appetite. "Hey," he said. The tremulous smile on his lips died as fast as it formed. The downhearted expression in her face was enough to send him deeper into the pool of shame and guilt he was in.

"I made some lunch. Do you wanna-"

"I'm not hungry," she cut him off.

"Felicity, please. It's just lunch. Don't talk to me if you don't want to," either way, what he wanted was she _listening_ to him. "Look, I made the cookies you like."

Uncertainty crossed her face, and he insisted one more time, "Eat, please."

Hardening her features, she went back to act as if he wasn't in the room, but at least she sat and ate what he prepared for her. They spent the next few minutes eating in silence; Oliver couldn't help to give her furtive gazes, every few minutes.

Until she caught him studying her.

"Stop that," she ordered him.

"What? Can't I even look at you now?" he set his fork down and turn to her. "I'm sorry, Felicity. I'm really, really sorry for the way I acted this morning. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"As usual, you did more than snap," she said, leaning away from him and crossing her arm over her chest.

"I know, and I'm sorry," he apologized again, stretching his hand out to Felicity. But he refrained himself to touch her. It was obvious that she didn't want him to. "I didn't mean to say that. I trust you... with my life, you know that."

"Well... nice way to show it," she quipped.

"That was all on me, and nothing got to do with you. I swear."

"I can understand that you don't like Ray and you get jealous of him, Oliver. I do, but-"

"I like Ray," he said, but soon amended, thanks to the glance she gave him, "Perhaps 'like' is too much, but I don't _hate_ the guy."

"Anyway... what hurt me the most was that, after all we've been through, you show showed so little faith in me. It was a hard blow to discover how low your opinion of me is."

"Felicity, no," this time he paid no heed to her need to maintaining a distance from him and grabbed her hand between the two of his. While with one he held it fast, he caressed it soothingly with the other. "There's no one else I have in higher esteem than you. Hon, you're perfect. You're kind, you're so beautiful that dazzle me every time I put my eyes on you, and your mind stuns me every day. Honestly, I'd give up being a hero and would hide in the deepest hole I can find, if you and your brain go to the bad guys side. An evil you would be unstoppable. You're a fierce, loyal friend, and my life is much better since I entered into your office four years ago. You're my guiding light."

The light blush on her cheeks was so adorable, that Oliver wanted to kiss her so bad. However, the moment was broken when she took her hand out of his grasp and got onto her feet.

"Where are you going?"

"I-I need to think, Oliver. Your apologies and pretty words are not enough to take the pain of your insults away," she stepped back, when he tried to reach for her again. "I can't- I can't do this right now."

She turned and walk away from him for the second time that day. He wanted to follow her upstairs, but Oliver knew it wouldn't do any good. She was too mad at him to let go the hurt he caused.

Waiting for her seemed to be part of his penance. There was no much else he could do. He said his apologies, he tried to show her how contrite he was. He reached out to her, but everything had failed.

He failed her. He failed their love... and all he could do was wait and pray for her to forgive him.

**# # # # # # # # # # #**

Felicity never came back down throughout the afternoon. Countless were the times that Oliver had the impulse to go after her, but he hadn't dared. He was afraid to push her farther away. The hours dragged away with excruciating slowness, and every minute that passed by, Oliver felt guilt pulling him deeper into the self-pity pit. A loneliness he hadn't felt in long time started to set inside him.

They were in the same house, just a few feet away from each other, yet he never felt so far away from her. He missed her. He was going crazy thinking that she was in his reach distance and yet he was unable to have her in her arms.

After the sun was down, he went outside taking the bottle of vodka he had been drinking for a while. It hadn't escaped his attention that Felicity barely touch her lunch before getting up of the table without finishing eating. He suspected that she wouldn't leave her room, even if she was hungry, just avoiding to cross path with him. Therefore, he gave her the distance she needed.

He walked to the farthest end of the yard. It was difficult to disappear completely from view in a house with glass walls, but he tried his best. Not only to spare Felicity of his unwanted company, but also to avoid going to her. He was sure that if he saw her, he wouldn't be able to refrain the temptation.

Unconsciously, or maybe not so much, he chose a spot with an excellent view of her bedroom. He could see much inside, though. Felicity pulled down all the blinds. Occasionally, he could see her shadow walking around, to disappear for long periods of time. It was well past midnight when she cut off the lights.

To that point, Oliver had tanked more than half of the bottle. He was pretty sure he was a little drunk. Not too much for doing something stupid, but he wasn't thinking straight either. All his senses were dulled. After he came back from the island, he seldom drank alcohol. Only a shot once a while after a rough night out on the streets. That was about it. He no longer went to high-class parties, so Champagne had been out his reach. He stupidly thought that the vodka would help to drown his sorrows and guilt, but the only thing that it did was making them worse.

It was time for him to stop and get some sleep as well. Even when he knew it would be as elusive as always. He didn't have the hope for a good night of rest. Gloom, he dragged himself up his room and laid on top of the bed, not bothering himself to take his clothes off. He was in the middle of the bed, with his arms stretched out. In the room as dark as his mood, he watched the roof intently, while trying to hear any noise coming from Felicity's room.

Was she truly asleep, or lying awake just like him?

The faint remaining of her scent in his bed hit him. The soft aroma of vanilla of her shampoo and the floral bouquet of her favorite perfume assaulted his nostrils. He curled in bed, grabbing the pillow she used, sinking his nose in it. The reminder of the wonderful nights they spent on that bed made him miss her even more. He almost got out of bed and went to her, but somehow he managed to stay put.

That pillow would be his only consolation for the night.

**# # # # # # # # # # #**

Felicity lay awake in her bed, she could tell every imperfection the ceiling had. It didn't matter, she wasn't wearing her glasses or that the room was submerged in shadows. She's been staring at it for hours. She memorized every little crack, every almost imperceptible impression to heart. There were 3 small cracks in the painting on the south corner, a little rough patch near the ceiling lamp, and 11 spots where the painting was lifted.

Repainting was necessary soon.

It was a superfluous matter to care about, but it was the only thing she got to keep her mind going back to what was really bothering her.

Her hotheaded, jealous, stupid-ass boyfriend.

Could she still call him that? She wasn't sure anymore.

She heard Oliver coming up a while ago, and in a moment of weakness, she thought he would come to her room to talk. Or at least, to check on her. Instead, he went directly to his room, making no noise after that. Could he be pleasantly sleeping, while she was rolling in bed with the worst case of insomnia she ever had?

What she wanted was to go over his room and to beat some sense into him. It was true that they used to disagree often, but he seldom hurt her feelings the way he did that day. She could understand that sometimes you get up on the wrong side of the bed, but that didn't justify the insults.

Stupid her, that even so, he missed him. She missed his protective arms around her to feel safe. She craved to rest her head again on his chest, the best pillow she ever had. It didn't matter that she had a blanket over her body she was still cold. She needed his warmth. Most likely, her insomnia was due the lack of the rhythmic lullaby of Oliver's beating heart.

But, what she missed the most was to see the happiness in his face. She was truly proud to be the one to put a real smile on his face. Nothing brought her more pleasure than seeing him completely relaxed and content. She liked to think that being with her help him to ease some of the hell he endure for 5 years. That's without mentioning the self-imposed path of redemption he traveled for 4 years after that.

She wanted to make his life better... easier. He had gone through something nobody should experience and he deserved all the joy he could get.

An anguished moan took Felicity out of her reverie. For a second, she thought she had imagined it. Then, she heard it again. It came from the room next to hers.

"Oliver!"

She jumped out of bed, and went over there. Walking through the corridor, she saw him squirming in bed, in the middle of what it seemed to be a nightmare. She entered into the bedroom without missing a beat, but she stopped before touching him. She recalled that years ago, John and she were talking about Oliver and the PSTD he probably suffered after his ordeal.

On that occasion, John told her never to wake someone with the disorder by touch. You never knew if that could trigger a violent reaction. In some people did, and in another didn't. She never talked to Oliver about it and she wasn't sure if in his case was safe or not. She was sure, if Oliver reacted violently and ended up hurting her, he would feel guilty, even when it wouldn't be his fault.

"Felicity! Oh, God. No!"

He was dreaming about her, and not the kind of dream that Felicity wanted him to. His anguished cry of despair broke her heart.

"Oliver," she said, loud and firm. "Wake up. You're having a nightmare." Her efforts did nothing, so she tried again, "Oliver, Wake up!"

He kept thrashing on the bed, calling her name, and cursing foully. Her voice wasn't enough to pull him out of the bad dream. She had to do something, she couldn't leave him suffering unnecessarily. Mustering her courage, she shook his leg, and called his name again. She was glad she listened her good sense to choose that part of his body to touch him. Starlet, Oliver lashed out with his hands as he sat straight up in bed.

"Whoa! Easy there. You were having a nightmare, Oliver."

Noticing her presence, he shot out of bed. His breathing was hectic and his eyes wild. "Fel- Felicity? What are you doing here?" He came closer to her. Bordering on the panic, he started to check on her with his hands and eyes. Felicity didn't know what he was looking for. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "I'm more worried about you. What were you dreaming?" Oliver pressed his hands against his eyes as if the horror of the nightmare washed over him anew. He trembled. "Hey, it's okay"

He lowered his hands and looked into her eyes. The agony in his blue eyes made her throat tightened. Hot tears pricked at the back of her eyes. "I thought that you..." his words trailed off as if they were too painful for him to say.

"That I what?"

Knowing him the way she did, it wasn't a surprise when he didn't answer. It was okay. She knew that, when he was ready, he would tell her. Instead, he went back to bed and sat on it. He ran his hand through his hair, and then balled his fist in it. With his jaw more rigid than steel, he stared at the floor. His pain reached out to her. It was thick in the air that you could cut it with a knife.

Felicity sat next to him, and pried open his hands gently. "What's going on with you, Oliver? It's been a quite a while since I saw you so conflicted and never this bad," she caressed his jaw, his stubble tickling on the back of her fingers.

"I'm sorry, Felicity. I really am. And not just- it's not only for waking you in the middle of the night. It's for the way I acted yesterday and this morning. I'm sorry! That had nothing to do with you. It's all about me, I swear. I'm sorry, please forgive me."

"It's all forgiven, it's all okay now," how could she not? The sincerity in his voice rang strong. And looking at him just a second was enough to see he was truly contrite.

"Thank you. I promise you I won't do anything like that, ever again," he said, cupping her face. He leaned forward, his lips almost touching hers. Their breaths mingled. His was heavy with a strong scent of alcohol.

He lifted his eyes to hers, searching... asking for permission. A gentleman, as always. It was one of the many things she loved about him. Felicity was the one who closed the distance nipping his upper lip. He followed her lead and kissed her back. To the contrary, of many occasions before, this was a gentle, slow exploration. It wasn't driven by the boiling lust underneath, but by the need to reconnect with each other again. It was a kiss with the purpose of cleaning the slate.

In spite of the reverence of the kiss, Felicity's heart raced frantically. Before she knew, the lack of oxygen made her dizzy. On the other hand, maybe, Oliver had that innate ability. Not matter what, he always left her with her head reeling when he was touching or kissing her.

When the air problem became too much for both of them, Oliver gave her small kisses all over her face. On her cheeks, over her eyes, on the tip of her nose, and at last, on her forehead. She sighed contently, when his warm lips touched her there. She once read that kind of kiss usually provided of a serenity like no other. She could attest that. It was true.

When he let her go, she wrapped her arms round him and sagged against his chest. "I think we should lay down and get some sleep." She felt Oliver tensing around her; she ran her hands on his back soothing his anxiety. "Sleep deprivation will get _me_ cranky in the morning, and you need to sleep the hangover."

"I'm not drunk," she tilted her head up, her eyebrow meeting her hairline. "Well, not that much."

"All the same. There's still several hours before sunrise. C'mon, let's get you in bed."

Until then, she hadn't noticed that he was still wearing the clothes that he used for the day. She helped him to get undressed. While Oliver took his t-shirt off, Felicity knelt before him to remove his shoes. His shorts disappeared next.

"You'll sleep more comfortably now," she said. "Lay down."

He did what she asked him to, even when his reluctance was evident. No words came out of his mouth while she tucked him in. But his face brightened when he realized she intended to join him there. "What?" she countered. "Don't let what I'm about to say gets you a big head, 'kay,"

Oliver frown at her warning, "What is it?"

Felicity got herself under the covers and turned to her side; Oliver mimicked her and rolled over. They were laying in bed, face to face. "I haven't been able to sleep much without you at my side."

The second her words left her, she regretted them. Oliver's face fell, twisted with guilt.

"Hey, I didn't say it to make you feel bad. I'm just saying that I missed and I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?! If I don't recall wrong, I'm the one who was an ass to you."

"Yeah, you were, but I should've known there was something wrong with you. Instead of letting my temper get the better of me and use my loud voice, I should've made you talk to me. Since when are you having nightmares this bad?" it hadn't escaped her attention that he was a light sleeper, but those nightmares where something else. It wouldn't surprise her if it wasn't the first it happened, and he said nothing because he didn't want to worry her.

She thought for a moment that he would avoid answering. After a minute or 2 watching her intently, he spoke, "I never thought that coming back to Greece wouldn't affect me this way. And these days with you away from everything had been wonderful. Until I had to face my worst fear. To lose you."

"Oh, Oliver. I told you, I'm not going anywhere. You're not losing me, and definitely I intend to live many, many years, until I'm old and gray," she hoped with him at her side, but it was too soon to talk about that. Their relationship was way too new to be certain doing any kind of prediction on the long run.

"You don't understand, Felicity. The way I love you, the way you're embedded in my soul, leave me crippled if you're gone. I've lost too much in my life, and I should know by now how to deal with loss, but you're everything to me. Without you, I'm nothing."

Oliver was going to be the death of Felicity, she concluded. How not to love that man? How could her heart not to break and soar -all at the same time- when he was saying those things? She knew he was speaking from the heart. Each word had an undeniable ring of truth. Her chest hurt from holding a tide wave of feels that only he could provoke in her.

The same feels that made her voice tremble, "Aw! I feel the same way," she leaned forward and nibbled his lips. "I know it's scary to feel something so strongly for someone," she continued, putting their foreheads together. "You think sometimes I don't have doubts myself. I'm here in this bed with you and some part of me is still thinking that this is all a dream."

He watched her, incredulous. "And of course I've thought that maybe one day you realize you don't belong next to-"

"Don't say it."

"Me," she finished.

"I belong to you," he growled. His tone as intense as in his "arrow" voice, full of conviction. "You're the only one I've truly loved in my life. I may have care about many women in the past, but I've never been _in love_ with anyone, except you. You are _it_ for me, Felicity."

"So we're in accord. We belong to each other, and we're not letting anyone or anything to drive us away, right? Not even you."

Giving her a sheepish smile, he agreed, "Right."

Felicity smiled softly. "So now, want to tell me about the bad dream?"

"Not really, no," an expected answer. Yet, denying his own words, Oliver spoke hesitantly. "After- After the debacle in Hong Kong... I thought I had escaped the vise grip of Amanda Weller," Felicity couldn't help to clench her teeth hearing the name of that bitch. She never really liked her, and much less after knowing some of the things she made Oliver do against his will. "In fact, I boarded a boat that was coming to America."

That was something Felicity didn't expect to hear. "You were going home? To Starling?"

"No, I wasn't. My plan was to stay on Coast City. It was close enough to keep an eye on my family, but far away enough for them to know I was there."

"I don't understand."

"I was in a really dark place, then. I didn't think my family had put up with the darkness I was bringing with me. They had gone through so much. I didn't want to be around them."

Right there, Felicity hated Amanda Weller a bit more. She didn't want to think of how horrible the things he did working for A.R.G.U.S. were. What Oliver told her was a redacted version of the whole story, she knew that. However, she wasn't stupid. She knew exactly the kind of highly reproachable things Oliver did in the past.

"I'm guessing you... didn't make it to America."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, as if he'd lose his courage to talk with her looking at him. She wanted to touch him, to soothe him, but it'd break his concentration, "No, I didn't. On the third night of sailing, the ship was attacked by mercenaries."

Felicity spent the next minutes fighting the tears while Oliver narrated that chapter of his ordeal. The pirates killed half of the crew. Only the young and healthy were spared, but only for a while longer. The survivors would then be sold to a human trafficking operation.

In Oliver's words, he wasn't sure if he had been lucky to be recognized. One of the mercenaries was a recent addition to the group. The man had worked with colonel Shrive in China just until after the outbreak. Then, the guy deserted and found a job with the pirates where he put all his skills in practice. Knowing that Oliver was an A.R.G.U.S.' asset, he convinced the leader that the knowledge Oliver had was much more valuable than his organs.

Oliver endured their torture for a week and gave them nothing. Nevertheless, the unpleasant treatment they gave him would pale in comparison with what he would later endure. When the mercenaries realized Oliver wouldn't talk, they changed their plans, originally, they were going to sell the information Oliver would spit out to the highest bidder. Now Oliver was the one up for sale, to the interested party paying the most, to get the information their way.

That's how he ended up in the hands of an extremist group that operated within the penitentiary system across all of Europe. The terrorists worked as prison guards using the installations as they saw fit. They often kept men and women against their will, disguised as common inmates, enduring torture or forcing them to work. In the end, most of those people ended up 6 feet under in unmarked graves. Oliver fell into the hands of a particular bloodthirsty cell established in Greece. He spent 5 months as their prisoner until he escaped.

Unable to resist anymore, Felicity grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. He squeezed it back as he took a deep breath, before opening his eyes.

"I am so sorry," she whispered, rubbing her free hand over his heart to comfort him. "You didn't deserve to go through that. Yet, it never ceased to amaze me of how much fortitude you have. I can't think of any other person that having survived that kind of captivity and everything else you lived those years could preserved so much goodness inside like you do."

He shook his head, denying her words. "You're my light. You're the one who taught me there was another way."

"I did nothing. You always have been a good man. You only repeated what so many others made you believe. That you were a monster; that you had only darkness inside. I merely made you see the truth."

He wanted to believe her. Felicity watched him for 4 years to come to terms that he was so much better man than how he saw himself. Even then, when he had sacrificed so much for the good of others, not matter the personal cost to him, there was still a small amount of doubt in the back of his brain.

Oliver leaned closer and kissed her, touching her lips with great tenderness. A protective arm around her pull her closer to him, to his loving warmth. Their bodies aligning to one another, leaving no space between them. Her legs were entangled with his, and she put her arm around his shoulder. She brushed her fingers idly on his nape.

Leaving her lips, Oliver imprinted a path of kisses along her jaw to her ear. He nuzzled her neck and she shivered at the erotic sensation of his stubble scratching her skin. In spite of the sexual nature of the gesture, Felicity could feel that it wasn't. She could feel Oliver's need to feel her, to assure himself that she was there. He tightened his embrace, almost afraid she would run from him.

They stayed like that for a while. She thought he finally fell asleep; he was relaxed and his breathing even. Yet, she was wrong. She was surprised when he spoke in a low voice. She almost missed his barely audible whisper.

"You were there."

"What?"

"In the dream. You were there," Oliver said, tensing up again. "First, they were interrogating me, but then they brought you in the cell. The guards were going to hurt you if I didn't tell them what they wanted to know. They did. They- They killed you. I couldn't save you."

"Shh," she soothed him, doing circular motion of her hand on his back. "It was just a bad dream. I was never there. I'm safe. And you are safe with me."

Oliver was the mighty hero who risked his life every night fighting crime in the streets of Starling City. That night, however, Felicity was the one who was willing to do whatever it took to keep his demons away. She continued the comforting rub on his back and reciting a reassuring litany, lulling him back to sleep. It took forever for Oliver to relax again, but eventually he did.

Felicity remained still for hours listening to Oliver breathing calmly, protected by her embrace. He murmured dreamily from time to time, to settle again and snuggle closer. Felicity smiled at the thought that the closer he got, the more peacefully he slept. Well, he could glue himself to her if he wanted. There was nowhere else she wanted him to be.


	11. Chapter 11

_My dearies!_

_Guess who is back?! Yes, me! I decided not to watch tonight's ep by livestream, 'cause it stress me too much (buffering in the most inopportune times, you know in the key scenes) so, I'm gonna watch it later when I can download it complete and can pause and rewind it all the times I want. While I wait, I'm updating this fic._

_Celebrating my birthday (yep, I'm a year older) I'm gifting you (shouldn't be backwards? *thinks* who cares?!) What I was saying? oh yeah! I'm gifting you a chapter of pure Olicity goodness. I hope you enjoy it._

_Happy reading!_

* * *

**CHAPTER 11**

It wasn't the thunder, or the rain outside that wake her up. Not even the rich smell of fresh coffee. It was the feeling of rough hands caressing her body and warm lips kissing her skin. For a while, Felicity thought she was dreaming. It felt so good. So incredibly good that she couldn't bring her mind to make contact with reality. She was enjoying immensely the dedicated attention she was getting.

The hands and the lips followed an upward path on her legs. While warm fingers made a sinuous hike on her left leg, a pair of soft lips left a scorching trail on the right one. From time to time, a hot breath tickled her. By instinct, she tried to pull away, but a strong hand held her leg firmly in place.

Also, somehow, she knew that her left leg had already been subjected to the kissing treatment. It wasn't quite a memory in her brain that told her that. Rather, it was that she could feel the imprint of each smooch in her skin. The fingers caressing that leg weren't enough to erase the sensation. In fact, it was reinforcing it.

However, the soft kisses became meaner, but not less delicious, as they got near to her right thigh. By then, they were nipped, with teeth scraping lightly her skin. Soon, it became a full bite. A moan escaped her, not quite sure, if it was an exclamation of pleasure or pain.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," said a voice, which she recognized as Oliver's. She groaned at his intrusion to her dream... or it was a fantasy? She willed herself back to whatever it was. He chuckled, his breath tickling her, and it was then that she realized he was the one doing those nice things to her.

He didn't let her wake up fully at her own accord. Instead, he sank his head between her legs, licking and laving her between her folds. Her desire, which until that moment was nothing more than a distant warm lava river running deep inside her body, spiked to the roof. It came up with the force of an erupting volcano.

She gasped as she opened her eyes wide, "Oh, good Google gods!" looking down, she found Oliver nestled between her legs. The limbs were thrown over his shoulders. His arms wrapping her thighs and his hands placed on her hips, holding her steady and leaving her no way to escape his wicked tongue. He was watching her from under his long lashes, his gaze intense.

"Oliver, what are y-? Jeez!" she arched her back and wrapped her fingers the best she could around his cropped hair. As in everything else, Oliver was determined to give 110% of himself to any task he endeavored. This time, it was to make her come with his mouth. By the way his wicked tongue was moving and the delicious suction his mouth had on her, she wouldn't last long.

She didn't. A minute later, a scream erupted from her when the orgasm hit her. Oliver didn't relent then, though. He kept sucking hard and licking her until draw the last drop of lust out of her. Only when she was completely boneless, he relented. With a slow sweep of his tongue, he cleaned her up. Just then, he lifted his head from her.

"Thanks for waking me up," she said, with a lazy smile on her face. That was the way she wanted to wake up every day.

With a smug smile brightening his features, he crawled over her body. When her lips were on his reach distance, he leaned down and planted a kiss on them. "I assure you that it was my pleasure."

He kissed again, letting savor herself one more time from his mouth. It was oddly erotic, the mix of Oliver's breath with the taste of her own juices. Yet, not more erotic than feeling the tip of his erection pressing against her core. Her hands traveled on his massive back down to his butt. Palming his back cheeks, she silently urged him to impale her. Oliver had given her an amazing orgasm, but he didn't demand one for himself. She had the feeling he didn't expect to get one.

Groaning, he pulled from her lips. "You're a tease," he chided, and then he stole a quick kiss from her, and made his way out of bed. She did her best to keep him on top of her, but Oliver wasn't having any of that.

"Wait, Oliver. Don't you want me to... umm, I don't know... return the favor?" she gave him a meaningful glance down at the noticeable bulge in his sweat pants. It was undeniable that he was still aroused.

"As much as I appreciate the sentiment, I'll have to let pass the invitation."

Felicity pouted, unable of hiding her disappointment. She didn't understand why Oliver was denying her the opportunity of making him feel as good as he made her feel.

"Hey!" he stroked her foot, which was peeking out of the sheet covering her. "I mean not now. Later, I'll let you have your way with me."

"Promise?"

Flashing her the brightest of the smiles, he promised, "Consider it done."

"I'm holding you to that."

"Good. Now you should eat, before it gets cold... colder, I guess," he suggested, signaling with a tilt of his head something to her right. Felicity turned her head in that direction. She hadn't noticed the tray with food on the nightstand. She realized that he had been awake for much longer than she had.

"Aww... you brought me breakfast to bed, thank you! You know you're the perfect boyfriend, right?" he chuckled as she sat on the bed to see the feast he made for her. "I hope that's not all for me. That's a lot of food."

"It's all for you. You're going to need the calories," he said, enigmatically.

"Why?"

"You'll see."

Oliver's mysterious ways were making her nuts. He knew she hated mysteries and still he was hiding something from her. "Oliver, what are you not telling me?"

He only smiled and walked away. "Where are you going?"

"To take a shower."

"A cold one?" she teased.

He turned for a moment, growling softly, "What do you think?"

"Can I help?"

"I think that would spoil the purpose of it, don't you think? He deadpanned.

"Fine. I'll stay here in bed, fantasizing about how great it is when we bathed each other," taking a shower together usually ended in having wet and steamy sex.

"Felicity," he growled. His tone was laden with need.

"Go, Oliver. Leave me at my daydream."

He gave her a killer stare, before pivoting around. He headed to the bathroom grumbling under his breath, which made difficult for her holding the bubbling laughter on her chest. While Oliver took care of his shower, colder than an iceberg she was sure, Felicity dedicated herself to eat. If Oliver continued cooking as delicious as he had been doing, soon her clothes wouldn't fit her. "Who would've thought? Oliver Queen, a Master Chef."

All the sudden, the thought hit her. It seemed stupid how she didn't think about it before, if for more than a week he made a feast after feast with a great talent. It was almost criminal how easily cooking came to him. She wasn't sure when or how he learned to do it, but obviously he excelled at it.

"Oliver? I was just thinking."

"Mm-hmm?" she heard him reply from the bathroom, and over the sound of the water running.

"If you wanted, you could participate in Master Chef or maybe Hell's Kitchen, you know. I say you should do it. Definitely, you would win. You got the talent, and the competitive streak that's needed for being in shows like that. The only problem I see is how bad things could get if you and Chef Ramsay don't get along."

She continued eating while pondering about the matter. She had 2 theories, radically opposed. The first was that Oliver could be the only person to break Gordon Ramsay, not turning him into the usual vociferous self, when someone screw things badly, but to the contrary by doing everything so perfectly that the poor Gordon would stroke out.

The second was that Oliver lacked somewhat of the knowledge of the more elaborated techniques in gourmet cuisine. A fact that for her had zero importance. His heavenly cooking was made organically. But participating in shows like Hell's Kitchen or Master Chef could lead him to make a mistake. If the famous judge chef yelled and insulted Oliver because of it, Felicity believed that Ramsay could find himself with 3 arrows embedded in his body.

Or perhaps mysteriously, the data on all his computers and electronic devices would be replaced with audio files of sparky rodents farting.

"Felicity?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you have your hacker face right now?"

"What? Oh- hi!"

Oliver was standing in front of the bed, with a towel around his waist and beads of water over his skin. The second she saw him, lust invaded her again. Something was telling her that never would get used to see him naked -or half-naked, in this case. He was too gorgeous for her sanity.

"Felicity," he insisted.

"Um... What did you ask-? Oh, yeah. Hacking! Me? I'm hacking nobody. Well, nobody that's not a criminal or a government agency. You already knew that," she said, flustered. "And you know I don't like such ugly word," she reminded him, with aplomb.

"But you were thinking about it."

She shrugged, "I was- you know... daydreaming."

He chuckled. She should be offended that her quirks and babbling were the source of so much amusement to him, but watching his face brightening or hear him laugh because of it erased any offense to her.

"If you're done with dreaming and eating, then get dressed. We got a lot to do today. Wear something comfortable... sporty"

"Why? What are we doing? You haven't said yet?"

"No, I haven't. I'll show you, but for that I need you get dressed."

"Fine! I'll get my clothes on."

**# # # # # # # # # # # #**

About ten minutes later, Oliver and Felicity were downstairs, she gaping at him. "What happened here?"

The roofed outside lounge was empty of furniture, no sofas, no tables, no chairs, nothing. In their place, there was what Felicity thought it was a training mat. Where did he get that? She had no idea.

"You were right."

Felicity watched him, pleased and surprised. She knew it wasn't easy for him to make that confession.

"The last couple of days I've been thinking, a lot. I realized you were right all along. I know I can't keep you locked up to protect you, and I can't be with you every second of every day to make sure you don't get hurt. Also, you were right about that I'll feel better not staying with you, if I'm sure you can handle yourself."

"That means that you..." She let her words trailed off.

"I'm teaching you some new self-defense moves, yes."

She bit her lower lip. "But, do you mean now? Today?"

"Yes, right now."

She was thrilled about it. It wasn't because she was going to learn new thing, which was okay, but because it would give him peace of mind. That was more for him than for her, "Thank you, Oliver. I appreciate that you're doing this."

He cupped her cheek and gave her a lopsided grin, "Don't thank me yet. You might hate me at the end of the day."

For the next hours, Felicity made her best effort to block Oliver's attacks. Roy was right; Oliver was an implacable teacher. She lost count of how many times she lay flat on the mat after Oliver overpowered her with an aggravating ease. He corrected the old and taught her new defensive moves.

After a while, she got a lot better at it. She was drenched in sweat and she was sure next day she would be beyond sore, with aching muscles and at least 1 or 2 bruises, but her self-protection skills improved. Yet, there was one thing John had taught her and she wanted to see if she could surprise Oliver with it.

"C'mon, Oliver. You're holding back," she said, when she dodged his "attack" from behind. It was the tenth time in a row that she managed to do that. "Criminals won't go easy on me."

"Felicity," he growled.

"You know I'm right."

"I don't wanna hurt you."

"You won't. Come _on_!"

"Fine," he conceded and cautioned her, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

In his next attack, she found out how much he was holding back. For each defensive move she made, he had a new offensive one, harder and faster than the last. In seconds, she was down again, out of breath. Oliver had her pinned on her back against the mat with a powerful hand on her upper chest. He had done what she asked of him, but what irked her was the smug smirk on his face. She wanted to wipe it off.

"Satisfied?" he asked.

"Not even close."

Then she did something he didn't expect. She lifted her left leg and crossed it over her body, passing it between them until she hooked her ankle behind his back. Then, using all her strength, she hauled him forward. He flipped over in the air and fell on his back on the other side of her. She didn't waste time; she spun over and straddled him. She grabbed his wrist to immobilize his arms. "Gotcha!"

"Where did you learn to do that?!" he said, impressed.

She beamed, pride filling her chest. "John taught me."

Faster than she thought possible, Oliver rolled over taking her with him. Now, she was the one pinned under his weight. She hadn't even shaken the surprise off, when he trapped her lower lip between his. He kissed her passionately, making her moan. The craving for each other was fed for the adrenaline pumping through their bodies.

Lust took over, and the lesson was quickly forgotten. Mere minutes before Felicity had been grunting each time she blocked an attack, now she moaned and gasped lost in ardent lovemaking. Oliver's hands seemed to be everywhere. Oliver dived his hand under her top and massaged her breast gently. He played with her nipple between his fingertips. Felicity parted her legs, to accommodate Oliver between them, while he nuzzled her neck. He kissed and licked that spot where she was most sensitive. Just right the union between her ear and her neck.

Exploring his body, she traced her fingers over the ridges of his eight-pack. She delighted herself feeling his well-built muscles, flexing under her hands. She dug her fingernails on his back, holding for dear life as the passion mounted and consumed her. Felicity gasped at the sensation of his tongue swirling around her earlobe. She was absolutely dizzy from the sensation of his tongue on her flesh. From the warm, masculine scent of his body. The world around them stopped existing. All she could feel was Oliver. Her love for him burned white-hot through her heart, spreading out to every inch of her body. She wanted to possess him and keep him with her forever.

He urged her to wrap right leg around his waist, her other leg followed suit at its own accord. Felicity wasn't surprised to feel a hard bulge pressing against her heated core. She swayed her hips, grinding against him. Right away, she wished they were naked. She needed to feel her body joined to his in full. She needed to become one with him. She said his name like a prayer. An earnest demand.

Oliver complied, not needing more explanation of what she wanted. He disengaged himself from her full-body embrace and sat on his heels to remove his t-shirt. Easing herself into sitting position, Felicity kissed and caressed his bare torso. She was addicted to him. She couldn't force herself to stay away from Oliver. She could spend the rest of her life tasting his skin, savoring all of him and she would be happy. She stopped kissing the time enough to take her top off, and she went back to nibble him.

Her hands went down his torso and found resistance, a blockage, to where she wanted to go the most. "Ugh, pants! Pants off!" she demanded. There was still too many barriers between them.

Laughing, he helped her to remove her yoga pants and the underwear that she was wearing. Then, he stood to get rid of his annoying clothes. They were both naked out in the open, protected only by the skimpy roof above their heads. Perhaps, she should care that they were in the backyard, essentially. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to care. The 12-foot-tall outer walls around the house were enough to protect them from prying eyes. Even the side that was open to the sea didn't matter. The distance between this house and the closest one along the shore was quite long. If Felicity couldn't see what the neighbors were doing, it was safe to say that _they_ couldn't see what she and Oliver were doing. Unless they were using binoculars.

If that was the case... well, she and her boyfriend were about to give them quite a show.

Oliver stood above her, distracted for a second, looking at the sea. Maybe he was having the same thoughts about privacy she had seconds before. Looking at a perfect profile of his magnificent, swoon-worthy nakedness in front of her, a mischievous thought crossed her mind. She put into practice one of the moves Oliver taught her earlier. Felicity swept his feet from behind with her leg, making him fall on his back with a loud thud on the mat. Due the impact, the air escaped his lungs in an audible exhalation. Knowing that she got only mere moments to act, Felicity crawled up his body and straddled him. "What was that you said? Oh, yeah! Never turn your back on your enemy," she echoed the words he told her earlier, repeatedly.

She couldn't stop feeling smug. It was the second time in a short period of time that she managed to catch him off guard. That was quite a feat.

"I think I've created a monster," he complained.

"A monster, you say. What kind of monster?" she asked, laying a kiss on his jaw. "A titan? Or perhaps a hellcat?" she kept questioning as she was leaving a trail of kiss down his throat.

"A vixen."

His throaty snarl made her smile. She emphasized her next words with kisses on his chest. A kiss for every word, "I think you have created a succubus."

She lowered herself over his body, until they were in perfect alignment. Then, she impaled herself on him. He gave a deep, manly growl. Oliver let her ride him at her own pace, how fast and deep she wanted to take him in. His strong hands played with her breasts, squeezing them gently. She lifted a hand from her breast so that she could nip and tease the pads of his fingers while she rode him soft and easy.

"You are so beautiful," Oliver said as he slid his hand down her body to her hip to steady her as she increased the tempo descending on him. He sat up so that he could hold her while she continued grinding against him. He buried his face in her neck and tasted her as he continued to stroke her in time to her sways.

Felicity's head reeled in the sensation of Oliver holding her. She ran her hands through his short hair, and down his nape and back. God, he was so handsome. Beautiful. There was nobody like him. Naturally, he knew how devastating he was. Oliver Queen never had lacked of female company. But Felicity was sure that only a very small percentage of those women had any idea how truly precious he was, if any.

She was proud to be one knowing the true beauty of his heart. He was so giving, so loving that it was almost impossible to believe. He didn't believe that of himself. It didn't matter, she believe it, and she knew it, for the both of them.

With a sharp growl, Oliver pulled her back from her runaway thoughts and gave her a look so hot that it made her blood sizzle. She couldn't think as her pleasure mounted. Each thrust was a step closer to the edge of supreme ecstasy. Oliver slid his hand between their bodies, to where they were joined, so that he could heighten her pleasure.

Felicity hissed and held tight onto him.

When she came, an intense orgasm blew her mind. She spited out a mixed of meows and cursing words. Oliver laughed softly in her ear until he joined her. Then, he stayed inside her, holding her close as he breathed raggedly. She didn't want to move. She wanted to stay there forever. His warmth enveloped her and made her feel blissfully safe.

Yet, life had a different plan. Felicity became aware that a phone nearby was ringing. "Is that your phone or mine?"

"I'm not sure. What me to go to find out?"

"No," she protested, holding him tighter. "I want you to stay here forever with me."

"Forever, huh? What will happen when we need to get back to Starling City?"

"Nuh-uh, nothing. We're staying here. We'll ask the team to send all our things. We'll live here."

Oliver pulled back, enough to see her face. "You'd do that? Leave your job and friends, your life, and live with me anywhere else?" his expression was unreadable. As always, she spoke without thinking first. She didn't mean anything by it, and now she was afraid that she was freaking him out, because he thought she was asking him for a more serious commitment.

"Me... living with you? No! That's crazy!" she tried to pull further away from him, but Oliver didn't relax his hold on her. "I mean... it's not that I wouldn't love to live here in this gorgeous house and this amazing view... or that expending these days with you haven't been great! They have! I know that living with you has excellent perks, like catching you half-naked at every turn, so much more than usual. We can't forget the sex; you won't hear me complaining about that. And the food! God! I swear I've gained like 10 pounds in the last week."

The soft brush of his tough thumb on her cheek brought Felicity back from her babbling. "It's just... it's ridiculous, Oliver. It's too soon! I was- you know that my brain doesn't filter what comes out of my mouth. I wasn't asking you, or implying anything. It was just a figurative speech."

"But what if it wasn't?"

"Wasn't what?"

"Felicity," he grabbed her chin gently and locked his gaze on her, assuring her complete attention; "I'm not saying now, but when the time is right, would you consider living with me?"

She didn't believe she was hearing right. Was he asking her to move in with him? "Oliver, are you-?"

"I'm just talking about the future. I love you, and there has been nobody else I truly wanted to make plans with. I know it's a big step and we're not ready yet. The hectic life we have it doesn't make it an easier decision either. I just- it seemed a good idea to have that possibility on the air."

"You are serious about this."

"Of course I am."

She lost herself in his deep eyes, while she considered the matter. Being honest, Felicity knew there was no much to think about. She loved Oliver more than she ever thought possible. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, and she glad he wasn't setting a time frame. He was being honest in keeping his word for when _both_ were ready.

Leaning forward, she nibbled his lips, "Okay. When the time is right, I'll consider moving in with you."

The bright smile on his face was enough to tell her she had taken the right choice. He was happy. The thought of living together brought him an immense joy. Moreover, together they could do anything. Together, they were invincible.

* * *

**AN**_: If you're wondering, which move was the one that John taught Felicity, it's the same one that Oliver used on Ra's in the Fight club promo._


End file.
